


Girl Meets World: Josephina

by MCWAY



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: Gen, girl meets world - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2017-01-31
Packaged: 2018-09-07 22:25:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 41,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8818501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MCWAY/pseuds/MCWAY
Summary: Josephina Edwards has had a hard life filled with dyslexia and parent problems, but her friends Riley and Maya make her life worth living.





	1. Girl Meets World

**Author's Note:**

> **This is a FanFiction of Girl Meets World. I do not own any Girl Meets World characters or the episodes/lines that are said, I only own my original character, Josephina and her story.**

Jo's POV

Maya, Riley and I are sitting in the bay window.

"Why do we have to sneak out of the house if we're not doing anything wrong until we sneak onto the subway?" Riley asks us.

"You think you're ready to just walk by your parents?" Maya questions Riley.

"I think I'm ready." She replies.

"Let me see your face as you walk by your parents." I tell her. She makes this weird scared/nervous face.

"Why are you making that face at us, Riley?" Maya asks, pretending to be Riley's parents.

"Because I'm sneaking onto the subway." Riley answers.

"You give in way too easily." I tell her.

"Out the window." Riley says.

"Lets go." Maya says.

Riley and Maya climb out of the window while I go over and sit on Riley's bed. I'm smarter than them....on somethings.

"Daddy! What are you doing here?" I hear Riley squeak.

"Being smarter than me, how come you're always smarter than me?" I hear Maya ask.

Mr. Matthews pushes Riley and Maya back through the window.

"Here's what I'm thinking. It's not your world yet. It's still my world. Because if it was your world, Maya and Jo would have you on the subway already, thinking you pulled something over on me. But you didn't. Know how I know? Look at you. You're right here." Mr. Matthews says.

By now, Riley and Maya joined me on the bed.

"How long do I have to live in my father's world?" Riley asks.

"Until you make it yours. Riley, do you know what I want more than anything? Go ahead, make it yours." Matthews says to his daughter.

"I will, and when I do, will you still be there for me?" Riley asks her dad.

"Right here. We'll be right here." Mrs. Matthews says.

Riley links both mine and Maya's arms and we take off for the subway.

 

We get to the subway platform and we hear the sound of drums playing.

"Dweezil!" Maya says.

"Maya! Jo! Who's the new chick?" Dweezil asks us.

"Chick! Down here I'm a chick! No wonder my parents don't want me on the subway." Riley says to us.

"Yea, keep living in your dreams, Riley." I tell her.

Maya starts walking away and Riley and I follow her.

"You're slouching, Maya." Gretchen says.

"Thanks, Gretchen!" Maya calls to her. Maya stands up straighter and does some kind of fancy walk. Riley follows Maya's actions. I, on the other hand, walk normally behind them.

We get onto the subway and we are holding onto the pole.

"Whoa, Riley, you don't do lip gloss." I tell her.

"Oh, what I forgot to mention is that I'm completely reinventing myself. I ride the subway now, I have kiwi lips now, and I'm just as cool as you two now!"

"Yeah, let's see how cool you can be when you look at him." Maya tells her, looking over her shoulder. I follow her gaze and see a boy sitting there.

Riley turns around, giggling out of control.

"Yeah, you're gonna need some lessons." I tell her.

"Let me show you everything you need to know about boys and girls." Maya says, walking away from me and Riley.

"Hi, I'm Maya. You're really cute. We should hang out sometime. You make me happy. You don't pay enough attention to me. This isn't working out. It's you, not me. We can still be friends, not really."

After that little scene, Maya walks back over to us.

"He's available. We just broke up." Maya tells Riley.

"Are you okay? Do we need to talk about it?" Riley asks her.

"Really?" I ask Riley. "You still wanna be like us?" I ask her.

"I want to be exactly like you two. I think too much, and you guys don't think at all." Riley says.

"See? You get us, so let's not think." Maya says, pulling Riley's hand off of the pole and throwing her back, so that she falls onto the boy.

"We were just talking about you...You used to go out with my friend, Maya." Riley says once she lands in the boy's lap.

"I don't think I can watch anymore of that." I tell Maya as I turn away from the scene that could easily be messed up.

Seconds later, Riley is back.

"That was great!" Riley says.

"You're welcome." Maya replies.

"What of that was the best moment of my life? What if nothing ever happens to me again?" Riley asks us, extremely worried. Maya and I smile at each other and push her back again. Only problem was, she landed in some old women's lap instead of the boy's.

"It's for you." The lady says, putting Riley on the boy's lap.

 

"Did you guys have trouble with your homework?" Riley asks Maya and I.

"Piece of cake!" Maya says.

"You didn't do it did you?" Riley asks Maya, seeing right through her best friend's lie.

"I don't even know where my books are." Maya says while laughing.

"They're here." Riley says opening her bag. "And they're heavy." Riley complains.

Riley turns to me.

"Should I even ask if you did your homework?" She asks me.

"Nope!" I said with a smile.

"Maya, Joey, you have to do the homework. This teacher's insane, a total nut job. I think there's something seriously wrong with him." Riley says as we walk into our history classroom.

"Hi, honey." Mr. Matthews says.

"Hi, Daddy!" Riley exclaims.

"You're late to your father's class." Mr. Matthews tells his daughter.

"Oh don't worry, Mr. Matthews, you wrote her a note." I tell him.

"I did?" He asks.

I hand the note to Maya. She hands the note to Riley, who hands it to her father.

"You did." Maya tells him.

"Riley's late. Deal with it. Oh, you got my signature down pretty good this time." He says, looking up from the paper.

"Oh, it was so easy. You write like a girl." I tell him. "Even I could get your signature down."

Mr. Matthews huffed and then we all took our seats.

"Okay, let me get back to jamming some learning in your heads. The Civil War."

"The Civil Bore." Maya replies.

"Thank you, future mini mart employee of the month." Mr. Matthews says.

"Wouldn't she be making more money than you?" I ask Mr. Matthews.

"The Civil War! Anyone?" He asks after a second pause, thinking about what I had said.

"A war we fought against ourselves." Riley says.

"You actually studied it?" Mr. Matthews asks.

"No, I'm actually living in it." Riley says as she throws her head on her desk.

"People, people, are we here to learn or not?" Farkle asks from his seat.

"What do you mean Farkle?" Mr. Matthews asks.

"I've been in love with Riley since the first grade. But I'm also equally in love with Maya and Jo. Some might say the great mystery of the universe is who's gonna be the first Mrs. Farkle." He says.

I gag loudly and Farkle looks over.

"I'm not that bad Jo...." Farkle says before turning his attention back to Mr. Matthews.

"You don't want this." Maya says facing Farkle.

"Bring it on." Farkle replies.

"Actually, the great mystery of the universe is how you could love three women the same who couldn't possibly be more different." Mr. Matthews says. 

"We're not so different." Riley objects.

"May I overstep my bounds, sir?" Farkle asks.

"You always do." Mr. Matthews says. He and Farkle switch places and Farkle flips over the name tag to say FARKLE instead of MR. MATTHEWS.

"Riley, is the sun. Warm and bright and lights up my whole day. Maya is the night. Dark and mysterious. And the night has always been a mystery to me. Because I go to bed at 7:30. Jo is the moon. Bright some days and other days she dark, mysterious, rebellious, secretive. How can I love these three different women? How can I not? Thank you, I am Farkle!" He says while taking a bow at the front of the room.

Secretive? Does he somehow know about my dyslexia? I think to myself. I've never shared it with my friends. Mr. And Mrs. Matthews know about it, but not Riley, Maya or Farkle.

"So, we were indeed trying to find out who we were, as people. Who am I? What should I be? History shows that bad things happen when you don't know who you are.

The back door opens an everyone turns to look at who is there.

"Who are you? I don't know who you are." Mr. Matthews says, confused.

"Subway boy!" Riley whispers to us.

"I'm Lucas Friar, from Austin Texas." Lucas says while he hands Mr. Matthews a note.

"Oh. New student, Mr. Friar?" Mr. Matthews asks.

"No, he's just a random kid coming into class and handing you a transfer slip, because he's NOT a new student...." I say to Mr. Matthews very sarcastically.

"Yes, sir." The boy says ignoring me.

"Great. You're just in time for today's assignment. Have a seat, Mr. Friar." Mr. Matthews says.

Lucas walks over and sits in the seat behind Riley. Riley turns around and stares at him.

"Okay, so we," Mr. Matthews walks over to Riley and turns her head around so that's she facing front. "So, I'd like you guys to open your book to page 48. Now, I'd like you to turn to page 1. Now, I'd like you to read from page 1 to 48." Everyone groans. I silently cry at my desk. "Oh, too bad on you. Okay, so for tonight's assignment, I'd like you to write me a three page essay on anything. Anything at all, that you guys believe in so strongly that you'd fight for it."

"That! I'd fight for no homework. I come here everyday; why can't you teach me everything I need to know while I'm here." Maya says.

"Whoo!" Riley says. Mr. Matthews looks at her. "Not who!" She says, breaking away from her father's eyes.

"He gets our day, let's take back our nights!" Maya says, getting really into it. "No homework, more freedom!" She chants. "Who's with me? No homework, more freedom." The class continues as Maya leans over to whisper to Riley. Then she continues to chant again.

"What are you doing?" I hear Mr. Matthews quietly ask his daughter.

I start walking towards them, when Riley joins in on the chanting and Farkle looks like he's about to pass out. I run over and catch him just up in time.

"Thanks, Jo." A dazed Farkle says.

"Don't mention it." I say as I drop him on the ground.

"Mr. Matthews..." I start.

"Yes?" He asks me.

"For this paper that we have to write.... I don't know what to write about...." I tell him, hoping that he'll get the hint and let me have an easier assignment.

"Okay, then why don't you write something about dyslexia?" Mr. Matthews asks me.

"I would, but 1) No one else knows I have it and 2) it's not something you can fight against..." I tell him.

"Okay, how about this: you write about what it's like to have dyslexia and give it to me personally tomorrow. I'll make sure no one else sees it, and you'll get a grade for it." Mr. Matthews says.

"Okay... I guess that could work..." I tell him. I start walking to the door when I'm stopped by him again.

"Jo, just one more thing." He says.

"Yea, sir?" I ask him.

"I know you, you would've gotten up with Maya and chanted your way out of here. So why didn't you?" Mr. Matthews asks me.

"Because why do a little today, when I can do a lot tomorrow..." I tell him, while walking out the door.

 

I climb through the window and see that Mom isn't home and there's a note on the fridge.

-Jo, I won't be back till later. I need to work a couple extra shifts. -Mom.

"Great." I grumble. "Just great."

I glance up and look at the time.

"It's only 5:30. Maybe I can go to the Matthews house?" I say to myself.

I grab my light jacket off the living room couch and run over to the window, opening it. I climb out and down the ladder that is on the side of the building to all floors.

Now, I'm not crazy, I don't have a key to my apartment, so I have to go in and out through the window.

I jump onto the sidewalk and start to walk to the Matthews house. Once there, I climb up another ladder and go up to Riley's window.

I try to open it.

"Locked!" I say.

After continuos tapping on the window, and no answer, I turn back and walk home.

Once inside, I get into the shower, get changes, and sit on the living room couch. I attempt my homework for Mr. Matthews. Finally, after a couple hours, I finally came up with this:

Dyslexia does not define me.

-Jo Edwards

 

The next day, I walk into the cafeteria, late, and see that Farkle is talking with Riley and Maya.

"Hey guys." I say.

"There he is! Invite him to sit down!" Maya says to Riley.

"With words?" Riley asks her, nervous.

"Great to see you guys too." I say very sarcastically.

"You're ready for this." Maya says.

"Ugh." I sit down next to Maya and watch this scene play out.

"What do I say?" Riley asks.

"Hey, Lucas. Looking for somebody special?" Maya suggests.

"I can't say that!" Riley says. This goes on for awhile until Lucas sits down next to Riley.

"Hi. You're sitting here." Riley awkwardly says.

"Is that okay?" Lucas asks her. Riley replies by giving him a thumbs up.

"Can you excuse me for a second?" She asks Lucas and her and Maya squeal silently.

"How ya doing?" I hear Mr. Matthews say from right next to Lucas.

"Dad, you have a choice here. You can either understand that this is just a boy talking to me in the cafeteria....." Riley starts out.

"I'm gonna do whatever you say next." Mr. Matthews says.

"But this is so innocent!" Riley cries out to her father.

"Honey, fathers don't see anything as innocent. We see it as.... what's the opposite of innocent?" Mr. Matthews asks.

"Right here!" Maya and I exclaim, shooting our hands in the air and with huge smiles on our faces.

"Pleeeeease don't embarrass me." Riley pleads her father.

"I'm just gonna talk to Mr. Friar about geography. You know, I've been to a lot of places. Never been to Texas, though. What part of Texas is closest to Mexico?" Mr. Matthews asks Lucas.

"That'd be El Paso, sir." Lucas says.

"Great! Let's go right now!" Mr. Matthews says. He grabs the back of the chair Lucas is sitting in and drags him away. Riley turns towards us.

"Oh! Hey, Joey!" Riley says with a surprised tone.

"Seriously?!" I exclaim, throwing my arms in the air.

"So, did you guys do the homework?" Riley asks Maya and I.

"I tried....." I said in a low whisper.

"No, I didn't do the homework. The question on everybody's kiwi lips is, did you do the homework?"

"No, I'm one of the founding members of the Homework Rebellion. You think I did my homework?" Riley asks us.

"I think you did ours, too..." I tell Riley.

"I did. I did and I really liked it." Riley says while bouncing and smiling at Maya and I.

"Riley, don't save me, us." Maya says pointing to me and her.

"What?" Riley asks.

"Let me be me." Maya says.

"Oh, you got two desserts?" I ask Farkle when he passes us.

"Angel's food cake....." Riley starts.

"And Devil's food cake. Let me guess who's who." Maya says.

"Hey, Farkle's just hungry. Not everything is about you." Farkle says while walking away and shoving cake in his mouth.

"I missed a lot...." I say, not understanding what had just happened.

"Yea....you did...." Maya says laughing.

 

I walk into the class, right before Mr. Matthews starts one of his usual rants about stuff.

"So, today we're gonna find out if anybody believes in something so strongly, they'd fight for it. Maya."

"Yes, sir." Maya says.

"Present your homework."

"Can't do that, sir."

"Why not?"

"Didn't do my homework, sir."

"Why not?"

"That's what I'm fighting against, sir." Maya says.

"Oh, this could go on for a while." Farkle says as he takes out a sleep mask and puts it over his eyes. He snores by repeating his name a lot of times.

"Jo?" Mr. Matthews asks me.

"Yes, sir."

"Homework?" Mr. Matthews asks me. I look down at my hands on my desk and Mr. Matthews moves over to Riley.

"I didn't do my homework, either." Riley tells her father.

"Oh really?" Mr. Matthews asks.

"Yeah. We're the same, now. I don't believe in homework." Riley confidently says.

"Guess what, Riley? That doesn't make you the same as Maya or Jo at all." Mr. Matthews says.

"I have something to say...." Maya says as she raises her hand.

"Wow, I don't know what to do, I've never seen this before. The floor is yours, Ms. Hart." Mr. Matthews says.

"Get up, Farkle. You're gonna wanna be awake for this." Maya tell Farkle as she snaps his mask off his eyes.

"Is it our honeymoon?" Farkle asks.

"Really?" I sarcastically ask.

"No, you missed that. Now it's time to hand in our essays." Maya tells him.

"Oh! Farkle goes first, Farkle always goes first!" Farkle exclaims as he runs out of the room.

"Jo, you joining me or what?" Maya asks me.

I look over at Mr. Matthews and give him a wicked smile.

"Alright," I say as I stand up. "Everyone who did their homework, put it on your desk." I watch as everyone places paper on their desks. "Traitors." I mutter.

"Carful there, Ms. Edwards...." Mr. Matthews warns me.

"Are you sure about this?" Riley asks Maya and I.

"We got this." Maya says with extreme confidence.

"Okay...." Riley says.

Just then, the door swings open and Farkle runs in with a huge project in his hands.

"The branding of Atlanta led to the end of the Civil War, and of peace. I believe that peace is worth fighting for." I take a sparkler off his project. "Hey, that's a pivotal part of my diorama!" I take the other one and Farkle complains again. "And there goes Virginia..."

I steal the sparkles from Farkle while Maya collects all the homework papers from people's desks.

"The burning of the homework led to the end of the Homework Rebellion, because there was no more homework." Maya says as we both stand on Mr. Matthews' desk. I start to lean the sparkles near the papers.

"Alright, alright. That's far enough, Maya and Jo. I get it." Mr. Matthews warns us as he takes the papers.

"No homework more freedom!" Maya starts to chant. I raise the sparkles above my head and the sprinklers go off.

"Okay, so those work..." I say.

"Is this part of your presentation, or is this actually going on?" Farkle says as everyone flees from the classroom.

I see Riley and Lucas on the other side of the room. Lucas has his jacket over Riley and they are talking. Then, Farkle jumps onto Mr. Matthews' back.

"Ms. Hart, Ms. Edwards, you have detention. The principal will determine if it goes farther that that. Ms. Matthews, please leave." Mr. Matthews tells us.

"I deserve detention, too!" Riley shouts from the other side of the room.

"No you don't. You didn't do anything. And because you didn't do anything, your best friends are in very big trouble." Mr. Matthews tells Riley. "Alright, Farkle, you can get down one." Mr. Matthews says to Farkle.

"Well, actually you're quite comfortable, sir." Farkle says from on top of MR. Matthews.

"Thank you.....get off!" Mr. Matthews yells.

"Farkle isn't going anywhere!" Farkle clings onto Mr. Matthews even more.

 

"Down, Farkle." Mr. Matthews says as Farkle drops from his back.

"You're looking at us pretty hard there, Mr. Matthews..." I point out.

"I just wanna stand by my girls...." Riley says, putting her arm around both of us.

"You missed the moment to stand by your girls. You were so busy trying to be them, Riley, that you forgot the best thing you can do for them is be yourself. Riley, take Farkle for a walk." Mr. Matthews tells her. Riley takes Farkle and walks down the hall.

"Listen, for as long as I can remember, it's always been Riley, Maya and Jo. Now, I always believed that a friend helps another friend out of trouble, not into it." Mr. Matthews says.

"I-I'm sorry..." I say.

"I am too, because you two go too far. Do you understand me?" Mr. Matthews sorta yells at us.

"I don't know about Jo, but I have no one at home who helps me with my homework..." Maya says. She then starts to leave.

"Me neither...." I say to Mr. Matthews. I take out the small paper I wrote on for the assignment, crumbled it up and threw it at him. I walk away and meet up with Maya.

 

Maya, Riley and I are on the subway on our way home.

"Riley?" Maya asks.

"Yeah?"

"If we can't hang out with each other as much anymore, don't worry about it..."

"Wait, why would you...."

"He's gonna make you end out friendship."

"He said that?" Riley asks.

"He's really upset with us..." I say looking at the ground.

"He loves you guys...." Riley says.

"I don't think so anymore...." I say.

"I just want you to know that I get it wouldn't be your fault.." Maya tells Riley.

"Bee-you-ti-ful! You two little bumblebees got a sweet thing going on, but where's your hunk?" A lady sitting behind us asks. "You ain't got no hunk, you ain't got no story!"

"We haven't been good friends." Maya says.

"You're my best friends." Riley says.

"She's your best friend. Best friends are important. I have a best friend. I'm not talking to her right now." The lady behind us says.

"We go too far." I start off.

"And I don't think that's gonna stop. We're bad for you." Maya says.

"He said that?" Riley asks us.

"He will." I tell her.

"This is your stop. Don't be us, you don't go as far as us." Maya says as she pushes Riley off the subway.

"No!" Riley says.

"No! You do not push your best friend off the train!" The woman says.

I then see Riley push the doors open.

"Dang girl!" I say.

"Ooh, she's back! That little girl pushed those doors open with the power of love!" The lady says in a sing song from behind us.

"You're not allowed to abandon our friendship. I would never do that to you two." Riley tells us.

"Riley, we're pushing you away because we're not good for you." I tell her.

"Only I decide that. You know why?" Riley asks us.

"Why?" Maya asks.

"Because if this is my world now, the first people I want in it are you two." She tells us.

"You're gonna save us, aren't you?" Maya asks.

"I am." Riley says. She grabs our hands and pulls us off the train.

 

"Where is he?" Riley asks, slamming the door. Auggie and Mrs. Matthews immediately point to Mr. Matthews.

"There is no way I'll let you break up my friendship with Maya and Joey!" Riley tells her father.

"Is that why you think I want, Riley?" Mr. Matthews asks. I kinda zone out a little. I tune back in to hear:

"What happens now?"

 

"Friends, family and....blah blah blah." I didn't feel like listening until Mr. Matthews hands Riley a card for the Subway.

"You think I'm ready?" Riley asks.

"You showed us you are." Mrs. Matthews tells her daughter.

"Riley, I've already met the world. It's your turn." Mr. Matthews says.

Riley takes the card.

"Hey, this isn't so different from Texas. Look, there's a pony." Lucas points out.

"That, cowboy, is a rat." I tell him.

"Ladies." Farkle says and I roll my eyes.

"So, where do you wanna go?" I ask Riley and Maya.

"Don't know. Big world." Riley says.

"Ours now?" Maya asks.

"Yea, but my dad did say I have to be home by 5." Riley tells us.

"Don't worry, he wrote you a note." I say, passing a slip of paper to Riley.

"Next stop, Astor place, 14th street, and the world...." The subway voice says.

"How convenient!" I say.

 

We jump off the subway hours later.

"You guys waited for us?" Riley asks her family.

"Hey, we told you we were always gonna be there for you." Mrs. Matthews says.

"Yeah, Riley. It's not so easy handing over the world without making sure everything's gonna be okay." Mr. Matthews says. He turns around and zones off for a second.

"Let's go then." Mrs. Matthews says.

"Wait, Jo, I think this belongs to you." Mr. Matthews tells me, handing me back my dyslexia paper.

"Thanks, Mr. Matthews. I don't think I'm gonna lose this." I tell him as I smile.


	2. Girl Meets Boy

Jo's POV

I walk over to the lockers where Riley and Maya are standing. It looks like Riley is reading and giggling to something on her phone.   
"What's up with her?" I question Maya.   
"Talk to him," Maya says, looking over at Lucas.   
"Why? We have a great text relationship," Riley tells us, still looking down at her phone.   
"You know what's a better text relationship?" I ask Riley.   
"What?" She perks up and is actually looking at me now.   
"Talk to him." Both Maya and I say at the same time. Riley looked up at us and then her phone went off again. She started to text away.   
"He's right over there!" Maya complained to Riley. I looked back at Lucas again and realized that he wasn't even 10 feet away.   
"No! Too complicated over there. Lots can go wrong over there. The only thing that could go wrong over here is if I go over there." Riley tells us.   
"Really?" I ask her in a very sarcastic way.   
Maya pointed over to Lucas and Riley gave in. She handed Maya her books and phone and walked over to where Lucas was sitting.   
After a couple of failed attempts at trying to talk to him, Riley sniffed his neck. Like.....why?   
Maya motioned for her to come back over.   
"That was pathetic." I tell Riley when she comes back.   
"How'd I do?" She asks Maya and I with a smile.   
"You smelled him." I tell her.   
"Yup!" She says.   
"You smelled him is what you did." Maya tells Riley.   
"I walk through life, the way I walk through life." Riley says as she turns to walk away.   
"Can we please talk about this?" Maya asks.   
Riley stops and looks down at her phone for a second. Maya's phone goes off and I lean over her shoulder to see what it says.   
"Nope." We both say. 

Maya and Riley had gone into the class room ahead of me. I, on the other hand, had to stop outside and mentally prepare myself. Dyslexia makes school harder than it already is.   
I walk in and take my seat in the first row, next to Maya. Mr. Matthews holds up a phone.   
"You guys don't connect with each other. It's like you can't exist without these." Mr. Matthews starts, while waving the phone around. "You use emoticons rather than emotions. You're an unfeeling generation of Zombies."  
I look over and see that Riley and Maya are pretending to eat each other.   
"Stop eating her." Mr. Matthews says. Just then The door swings open. "You're late Miss Myzell."  
"My goldfish died." Myzell says with no emotion whatsoever.   
"You see, this is what I'm talking about. Miss Myzell has clearly suffered a tragic loss. Yet, she does not seem in touch with her actual emotion." Mr. Matthews says, trying to prove a point.   
"Excuse me? I am crying my eyes out. I'm gonna have to leave class early." Myzell says, leaving the classroom.   
"Oh, she actually made it out the door this time." Mr. Matthews says, quite impressed.   
"I actually made it out the door that time!" Myzell says excitedly as she walks in to take her seat.   
"Dad, adjust and deal. Cell phones have been around for, like, ever." Riley says.   
"It'll amaze you to know that there was a whole world before you and cell phones." Mr. Matthews says to his daughter.   
"And it'll amaze you to know that I have 394 friends in here." Riley says tapping against her phone.   
"And I'm amazed you believe that." Mr. Matthews says back to her.   
"It'll really amaze you to know that you can live without a cell phone." I tell Riley. I don't own a phone, my family isn't that fortunate. Mr. Matthews gives me a sad smile, then continues on with the lesson.   
He draws a line on the board. I shoot my hand up as soon as the chalk comes off the board.   
"Ms. Edwards, something to contribute already?" Mr. Matthews asks me.   
"With all do respect, sir, I was just gonna say that that is NOT a straight line...." I tell him.   
He looks at me with disbelief, then shrugs and carried on with the lesson.   
"This is a timeline of all human existence starting here, is everyone who ever lived, laughed, loved, and understood the value of life. The cell phone era, which begins right around here," Mr. Matthews draws another crooked line on the board that bothers me. "pretty much destroys all that. Way to go, you."   
"There's a ruler right next to you!" I exclaim to Mr. Matthews.   
Lucas raises his hand. "Sir, if I may take a different position?"  
"Yeah, save me, Mr. Friar. Do I go too far?" Mr. Matthews asks.   
"Always, sir. I understand your point, but I use my phone to video chat my old friends and to find out what's going on in Texas." Lucas tells him.   
"Yea, how else can he keep tabs on all the hoedowns and cattle pageants?" I ask. Maya laughs and high fives me.   
"Nice one!" She exclaims.   
"Joey! Maya!" Riley yells.   
"It's okay, Riley. I'm unaffected by Maya and Jo's views on country life. As my Uncle Buster always says, 'Be like an eagle and soar above the mockingbirds.'"   
"You guys are the mockingbirds..." Riley says in a sing-song voice.   
"We know." I say.   
"It kills us that we can't get to you." Maya says to Lucas.   
"Sorry, ma'ams." Lucas says, tipping an imaginary hat.   
I huff, Maya shudders, and we both turn back toward the front of the room.   
"Farkle time, sir?" Farkle asks.   
"Oh, I love Farkle time!" Mr. Matthews says as he and Farkle switch seats. Farkle turns the name plate on the desk so it says FARKLE instead  
of MR. MATTHEWS.   
I lean back in my seat.   
"With all due respect to history, Mr. Matthews, what's important to our generation will be on this side of the timeline, when Farkle and technology rule."   
Farkle walks over to Riley's desk, "And I will easily be able to make another one of you," he says while pulling out a strand of her hair.   
"Ow!" Riley squeaks.   
He walks over to Maya's desk, "And another one of you." He again pulls a strand of hair out of her head.   
"Ow...." Maya complains.   
Then Farkle approaches me.   
"Touch my hair and you won't see tomorrow." I warn him and he backs away from my desk.   
"Wait! So now there's 4 of us and 1 of you?" Riley asks.   
"That's awesome. The future, you can't escape it, I am Farkle!" He says dramatically. Mr. Matthews and Farkle switch places again.   
"The assignment, you can't escape it, I am teacher!" Mr. Matthews tried to mimic Farkle's dramatic flare. "Okay, so here's what we're going to do, guys. We're going to split up into teams and discover whether or not technology has made us better people. You'll do presentations on your findings. And here's the twist. No computers."  
"What?!" Farkle yells.   
"We're going old school. You're going to do your research at the New York Public Library.   
"Where?!" I ask.   
"And here's another twist because I trust you not at all. Give me your cell phones." Mr. Matthews drops the bomb on the class.   
"No!" Riley squeals.   
"Yeah. Come on, hand 'em up. Thank you, thank you. Okay, so our teams for this assignment. Maya."  
Quickly Farkle runs over and sits on her lap, only to be pushed off seconds later.   
"And Riley, you will be with....No! No!" He shouts, realizing that Lucas will be her partner. "Why did you have to come here?" Mr. Matthews asks Lucas.   
"Sorry if I make you uneasy, sir." Lucas says as he makes his way to the door and exists.   
"Oh, Dad, we don't even have our phones. I mean, what could possibly happen?" Riley asks her father as she also leaves the room.   
I continue to sit at my desk and stare down at my hands.   
"Joey, you can go in any group you want to, okay?" Mr. Matthews asks me.   
"Thanks, sir." I say. I get up and begin to walk out.   
"Oh, and Joey?" Mr. Matthews says.   
"Yes, sir?" He stopped me at the door.   
"Just try, okay?" Mr. Matthews says.   
"I'll try..." I tell him. I smile at him and turn to leave.   
Before I walk out of the room, I run over to the chalk board and grab the ruler next to it. I erase the line that's already there and I draw a new line with the ruler.   
"That's a straight line." I tell Mr. Matthews. He smiles at me and I walk towards the door.  
I leave the classroom, only to walk right into another conversation between Maya, Lucas and Riley. 

"Well, seeing as how you're Riley's partner on this assignment, I guess we should find out if it's okay with her. Riley?" Maya asks and I realize what's going on. Riley can't communicate without her phone.   
"Riley, any thoughts on this that might come out of your mouth in word for?" Maya asks her.   
I jump in. "No, because you don't have your phone anymore, so what are you gonna do to communicate, I wonder?"   
"Oh, look at that. 2 thumbs up from Riley." Maya says.   
"And a smiley face." I say. 

Maya and I walk together to the Matthews apartment. We both lived in the same building, so we could easily walk there together.   
Maya walks up to the intercom.   
"Hey losers, it's Maya." She says.   
"And Jo!" I add.   
A minute or two later we were buzzed in.   
Right before we walked in, we heard the conversation going on through the door.   
"Maybe along the way, you guys are going to learn a little bit more about yourselves." I hear Mrs. Matthews muffled voice say through the door.   
Maya opens the door.   
"Yea, like we've learned that we're actually really okay with all of this." Maya says.   
"You girls don't miss your phones?" Mrs. Matthews asks us.   
"I was the only one in class without a smart phone anyway, and now I kind of feel like everybody's even." Maya tells her.   
"What about you, Joey?" Mrs. Matthews asks.   
"I never owned a phone, so I don't care as much. I've learned that it's possible to live without one." I tell her.   
Mrs. Matthews looks like she wants to say something, but the intercom buzzes.   
"Farkle!" We hear.   
"Be ready in a minute." Riley says.   
The intercom buzzes again.   
"And Lucas."   
"Ready now!" Riley shouts as she grabs her jacket and my arm and pushes Maya out the door. 

We arrive at the library a short time later.   
"What is this place?" Riley asks.   
"This is where the ancients stored all of their wisdom." Farkle tells her.   
"Look at all those...." Maya starts out.   
"Books." I say.   
"Books." Maya and Riley say together, as if in some kind of weird trance.   
"Look." Lucas says as he pulls a book off the shelf, blowing the dust off of the cover. "Tales of Human Interaction."   
"We'll take it. Thanks, quickdraw." Maya says as she takes the book from Lucas. "Farkle, do whatever you do with that."   
"You mean read?" He asks, but then he opens the book and starts. "Chapter one...." He starts.   
"Oh, I'm bored out of my mind, let's go to a movie." I say as I try to walk away. Farkle holds me back though. Being in a library is like my worst nightmare.   
"Shhh!" We hear.   
"Ah!" We all jump, frightened.   
"There's one of those ancients now." Farkle says, walking over to the librarian. "Oh, wondrous gatekeeper of the knowledge, we are travelers from another time and place."  
"Seventh grade middle school." Riley says and I slightly laugh at the two bozos I call my friends.   
"We wish to partake of this information from your Great Wall of wisdom." Farkle continues.   
"Do you rent phones?" Riley asks. It hasn't even been a couple hours and they're all ready asking for a phone, Jeez.   
"Shh!" The librarian tells us again.   
"Why do we have to shush if there's no one else here?" I question her. It really doesn't make sense to me, we are the only ones in here.   
"Let me handle this, Jo. She obviously quiet. Hello, book lady." Farkle starts.   
"Well, hello. And who might you be?" The librarian asks.   
"I might be Farkle." He replies.   
"Would you do me a favor Farkle." She asks. Farkle nods his head and the librarian continues. "Will you go over there and.....shh!"  
"Well that's disappointing." Farkle says.   
Farkle, Maya and I branch off from Lucas and Riley. I chose their group because I could feel the awkward tension between Lucas and Riley before we even sat down, and I didn't wanna be apart of that.   
We started by sitting at a long table in the middle.   
"This chapter is called 'Disconnect to Connect'." Farkle reads.   
Maya takes the book from him and starts to read. "'Not until we put down our phones, switch off our computers and look into each other's eyes we won't be able to touch each other's hearts.' Yeah, like that's going to work on anybody..." I look over at the other group and see Riley and Lucas staring into each other's eyes.   
Later on, Farkle was sitting in the window leaning against one side and Maya was leaning against the other side. I sat on the floor so I was positioned in the middle of them and looked outside at the stars. I take out a simple children's book I have in my bag and attempt to read it, zoning out what Farkle was reading. I carefully write down in my notebook the words from the book that I have trouble on.   
"Wanna read back the notes?" I hear Farkle say. I put the book in my lap and focus on what they're saying.   
"What notes?" Maya asks.   
"You weren't taking notes?" Farkle asks her. "Were you?" Farkle asks me.   
"No..." I say.   
"You know, why bother? Without a computer, all we have is a pencil and a pad. What could we possibly do with that?" Farkle asks as he takes mine and Maya's notebooks.   
He looks at Maya's page. "Maya, I had no idea...."  
"Yea, neither did I..." She tells him.   
I try to be sneaky and grab my notebook, but Farkle snatches it back.   
"Farkle...." I whine. He reads over my notebook, looking at all the simple words that I have trouble on.   
"Jo....what is this?" He asks me.   
"A notebook with words...." I tell him. I hate admitting my dyslexia problems to people. It makes me feel weak.   
Farkle hands me back my notebook, eyeing me suspiciously, and Maya continues to read. Farkle was already suspecting I had some secret I wasn't telling everyone, now I probably made it obvious.   
"Because it's not until you really looked at each other and made human connection that you can even begin to know each other."   
"Look in my eyes." Farkle tells Maya.   
"No." She replies.   
Farkle turns to me. "Look in my eyes."   
"No." I tell him.   
"Look in my eyes!" He whines again.   
"No!" Maya and I say.   
Maya continues reading. "There is no connection you can make with any screen that compares to the the moment you understand only human beings have souls."   
"I have a soul." Farkle says.   
"No." I tell him.   
"I do!" He says again.   
"No." Maya says.   
"I do!"   
"No." Both Maya and I say. 

The next day, Mr. Matthews was returning our phones.   
"Here you go, take your phones. Good, great, nobody talks to nobody. No more feelings. Thank you. Okay, guys, the great technology debate. Let's boot it up!" Mr. Matthews says.   
Riley, Farkle, Maya, Lucas and I walk up to the front of the classroom and separate into our groups.   
Farkle holds up his phone and starts the presentation. "I have believed technology would help us fulfill our potential as a species. But when Farkle does rule the world, no matter what devices we come up with, we should also never forget what we can do with a pencil, a piece of paper, and our own imaginations." Farkle pulls out 2 pieces of paper and I finally realize why I couldn't find my simple words sheet. "I've been keeping these two pieces of paper in my pocket, where my phone used to be. I keep looking at it. I'm fine."   
Farkle shows the class Maya's drawing.   
"What's on the other paper, Farkle?" Mr. Matthews questions.   
"A reminded. A reminder that simple things matter the most in life." Farkle says. He didn't show the class my paper, which I am truly grateful for.   
"Thanks, Farkle." Maya and I say.   
"Look in my eyes." He says.   
"No." Maya snaps.   
"I thought my whole life was in my phone, but it turns out that I don't really have any friends in here. And you don't really need your phone to connect with your real friends." Riley tells the class.   
"Allow us to demonstrate." Lucas says.   
"Hi." Riley starts.   
"Hi." Lucas replies. 

 

Maya and I were told to meet Mr. Matthews at the library later that day. We were waiting behind a book shelf for him to arrive.   
I see a row up books slide to the side 3 rows above our heads.   
"Not that tall." Maya tells him. Mr. Matthews moved to the bottom row and slides it across.   
"Really?" I ask him. He finally gets to the right shelf.   
"How you doin'?" Maya asks him.   
"You girls will keeps an eye on Riley at all times. You will send me message alerts. You will send me pictures." Mr. Matthews says.   
"You're really scared, aren't you?" I ask him.  
"I'm a father." Matthews replies.   
"Yeah, they're just friends." Maya tells him.   
"Believe me, I know the story." Matthews says.   
"But you're forgetting, we don't have the technology." Maya tells him. I look down, a little embarrassed.   
"Now, you do." Matthews says as he puts two boxes on the shelf.   
Maya and I walk around to the other side of the bookshelf and take the boxes. Maya opens hers.   
"You got us phones?" Maya asks.   
"My motives are completely selfish." Matthews says.   
"I'm not sure they are, Mr. Matthews." Maya says.   
"Well, I also got you these. Maya, I heard you like to draw. And Joey, I hear you 'like' to read." Mr. Matthews hands me a couple more books. He says the word "like" so Maya doesn't hear that I'm trying to read. "If something beautiful ever happens, Maya, draw me a picture."   
Maya leaves the library, but I stay behind. I still have the unopened phone box in my hands.   
"Joey? You alright?" Mr. Matthews asks me.   
"Thank you for the phone, sir....but I don't want it." I tell him, placing the small box in his hands.   
"Why not?" He asks me.   
"Because I've already made it 12 years without a phone, I think I'll live. Can you please just give it to someone who needs it?" I ask him.   
"You need it. How about this: you take the phone, you don't have to use it or anything, just keep it with you, so I know that you're safe." Mr. Matthews says.   
"Fine." I tell him. I take the box back and leave the library, waving a quick thanks to Mr. Matthews. 

I finally get home and I place the phone in a drawer and close it. My mom isn't home. I then go to take a shower and once I'm in shorts and a shirt, I go out the window.   
I climb the ladder up. Up to the top of the apartment building. Up to the flat roof that cover the apartment building. I finally get there and stand still for a minute, listening to all the sounds. My wet hair snaps in the wind.   
I walk over to a box that's on the other side of the roof and grab the blanket that I put in there. I spread out the blanket and lay down.   
The stars look so beautiful. The moon is bright, not a cloud to be seen in the sky.   
Peaceful. Something I love.   
I close my eyes and think about how much I actually love my life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **I think I'm gonna skip "Girl Meets Sneak Attack" for this story. Next chapter should be up in a day or two.**


	3. Girl Meets Father

Jo's POV 

I walk up to Riley and Maya by the lockers.   
"Look at that ninth grade woman! She's putting on makeup. We're gonna be ninth-grade women someday!" Riley exclaims to Maya and I.   
"This thing goes to ninth-grade?" Maya asks. Riley nods her head.   
"Ugh! I can't even handle seventh grade!" I say, throwing my hands in the air.   
"Why that?" Riley asks, pointing to the girl that's putting on makeup.   
"Brings out your eyes." Maya says.   
"Why would I wanna take out my eyes?" Riley asks. It's funny how concerned she is.   
"She's not taking out her eyes." I tell Riley.   
"And I think she is." Riley says, pointing over to the girl sitting on the bench in the middle of the hallway.   
"It's an eyelash curler. It doesn't even hurt." The girl told Riley. She gave Riley the curler and I put my face in my hands, not wanting to watch the scene that was about to happen.   
"I have eyelashes..." Riley says and I kinda zone out until I hear Riley do some sort of scream type thing.   
"Open it." Mr. Matthews tells his daughter.   
"Thanks, Daddy." Riley says to her father.   
"Yeah, okay." Mr. Matthews says.   
"Yeah, okay." Riley repeats handing the curler back to the girl.   
"Ladies." Farkle says.   
"Farkle." Riley and Maya say at the same time.   
"I'm out." I say. I walk into the history classroom.   
"What are you doing in here?" Mr. Matthews asks me.   
"Well, Farkle came over and I was like 'see ya' and now I'm here." I tell Mr. Matthews.   
"Well okay then." Mr. Matthews says.   
I sit down at one of the desks and pull out one of the books Mr. Matthews gave to me.   
"Jo?" Mr. Matthews asks.   
"Yea, sir?" I ask him.   
"How's the reading coming along?" He asks me.   
"It's coming, very slowly. But I think I'm sorta making some progress." I tell him with a smile.   
"That's great. Now all you need to do is tell Riley, Maya, Farkle and Lucas, and your all set!" Mr. Matthews says.   
"Wait a second. I'm not telling them." I tell him, putting my book down and walking to his desk.   
"Why not?" Mr. Matthews asks me.   
"Because....because...I don't know!" I shout out.   
"I think I know, it's because you're scared. It's gonna be okay, your friends aren't gonna ditch you just because you're different." Mr. Matthews tried to reassure me.   
I nod my head and hear clapping in the hallway. Mr. Matthews and I both look out the door and I see Maya dancing.   
"Well okay then." I say. "See ya, Mr. Matthews. I'm going home." I tell him, waving s goodbye. 

I walk home with Maya. She fills me in on what happened in the hallway today, when I ditched them.   
"Really?" I ask her.   
"Yea, really. Now all three of us owe Farkle a dance." Maya tells me.   
"But....but what if I don't go to the dance?" I ask Maya as we get closer to the door of our apartment building.   
"You have to go to the dance, Jo! Pleeeeease?" Maya pleads.   
"I'll see...." I tell her.   
"Good! You can not leave me alone with Farkle if Riley and Lucas dance!" Maya tells me. "Okay, see ya!" She says as she walks through the door to the apartment.   
"See ya!" I wave a goodbye to her.   
I go into my house and nothing interesting happened that night. The only thing I did was try and read some more. 

The next day, we all walk into history class and Mr. Matthews greets us.   
"Friar! Edwards! Farkle! Hart! You." Mr. Matthews exclaims, saying "you" in a nasty way towards Riley.   
"Dad, I-" Riley tries but her father cuts her off mid sentence.   
"Okay..." Riley says as she walks to her seat.   
"What'd you do?" I ask Riley. All she does is shrug and gives me an I'll-tell-you-later face.   
"Well, guys, I've got your test results on Darwin to give back to you, and um, I'm pleased to see that some of you have 'evolved' since the last quiz." Mr. Matthews says and he stands there waiting for something.   
"Ha!" Farkle says...or laughs?   
"Thanks, Farkle." Mr. Matthews says.   
"Well, you were drowning, sir." Farkle says.   
"Wait! I'm so confused." I say. "What just happened?" I ask anyone who will answer me.   
"He just told a joke." Farkle explains to me.   
"What kind of joke was that?" I ask Mr. Matthews.   
"It was supposed to make you all laugh." Mr. Matthews says.   
"That joke was supposed to make us laugh?! That joke was an insult to all jokes!" I tell him. Mr. Matthews glares at me and starts passing out the tests.   
"Ms. Hart, Mr. Friar, nice work." Mr. Matthews says.   
"Thank you, sir." Lucas replies.   
"Mr. Farkle." Mr. Matthews passes him his paper.   
"'A' number 700. Huzzah!" Farkle exclaims, taking out a noise maker and blowing into it. Mr. Matthews approaches me and I can feel my hands shake.   
"Nice work." Mr. Matthews says as he puts the paper on my desk.  
I just stare at the grade at the top and start to cry happy tears. Through my blurry vision, I see concerned faces looking over at me. Lucas walks over and takes my test off my desk, reading the grade.   
"C minus?" Lucas asks Mr. Matthews. He nods his head. "Is she crying because it's a bad grade?" Lucas asks.   
"No," I sniffle out. "I'm crying because it's a good grade. I've never gotten a C before." I tell him.   
"Well then good job, Joey." He says as he bends down and hugs me. Lucas then walks back to his seat, leaving me to wipe away my tears.   
After I calm down and start to tune into what everyone was saying, I see Maya raise her hand.   
"Yes, Ms. Hart." Mr. Matthews says.   
"You failed me." Maya says.   
"Why don't we talk about this after class?" Mr. Matthews asks.   
"What's there to talk about? You failed me. You think I'm a failure." Maya takes her test and stands up. "There's nothing more for you to teach me." She finishes.   
"Oh, come on, both of you gotta say that?" Mr. Matthews asks while looking at Riley. I guess she said that at home and that's why he's so mad...  
Maya starts walking towards the door.   
"What, you mean I lost you both? Maya! You do not walk out of here." Mr. Matthews says.   
Maya turns Aron d and walks out the door. Riley raises her hand and I look at him.   
"Go." Mr. Matthews says. Riley gets up and I follow her out of the room to where Maya is. 

"Redecorating your locker?" Riley asks Maya as I walk up to them in the hallway.   
"Nope." Maya says as she takes stuff out of her locker. "Cleaning it out. You want one? Because it's the last one you're gonna get." Maya asks Riley and me, holding up a cotton candy stick. I shake my head no but Riley always wants cotton candy. Maya then hands the finished product to Riley.   
"Maya, it's just one 'F'" Riley tells her.   
"Yea, Maya. I get 'F's all the time." I tell her. As soon as I say this I look down at my feet, a little embarrassed.   
"It's not about the paper, Riley and Jo. Riley, your father failed me." Maya says.   
"Yeah, I know, and I'm not going on the Cyclone, I failed him. Can't we just call it even?" Riley asks.   
"Nope, we can just call it I'm leaving." Maya says, taking her bag fro her locker and slamming it shut.   
"Maya, I know you. You'll make a big deal about this, pretend to leave school forever, and you'll be back by gym class." Riley tell Maya.   
"No, this time I mean it." Maya says walking away from us.   
"Alright, Maya, I'll see you tomorrow." Riley says.   
"No, you won't." Maya says walking towards the school exit.   
"You'll pick me up at seven!" Riley shout to Maya.   
"I won't be there." Maya says, walking out the door and leaving the school.   
"What are we gonna do, Joey?" Riley asks turning to me.   
"I don't know..." I say. All we can do is wait in the hallway for the next bell to ring. 

I walk home and up the ladder, stopping by Maya's bedroom window, and looking in. I see her sitting on her bed and knock in the window. She doesn't notice me so I continue to climb up the ladder.   
Once inside, I walk straight to the kitchen and see another note on the fridge about where there's another note from my mom with some excuse of where she is.   
I grab some food and sit in on the couch in the living room and watch the news on tv. The news is one of the only channels we have on the tv.   
Once done my food, shower and all that stuff, I climb up the ladder and onto the roof.   
Once up there, I have no idea what to do, so I just sit there and think about what's gonna happen tomorrow. 

Today, Maya wasn't at school, no matter how much I tried to persuade her. So, Maya, Riley, and I were sitting at the bay window talking about school today.   
"You made your point, okay? You didn't come to school today, and your teacher is really upset with you." Riley tells Maya.   
"He's not my teacher anymore. Now I attend a prestigious online academy." Maya says.   
"Welcome to the Frank Mantucci on da computer school, where youse get out of it, what you put into it. And what you need to put into it is 400 dollars. Gimme." The computer said with a big accent.   
"You paid that?" Riley asks her, amazed.   
"Free trial. I took the test to see if I qualify for free trial." Maya tells the two of us.   
"If you have 400 dollars, you should 'gimme' it instead of that scam!" I say, mimicking the computer's accented voice.   
"Congratulations!" The computer voice says again.   
"I got in!" Maya says, super girl excited.   
"You are the first person to ever fail the Frank Mantucci on da computer school. How'd you do dat?" The computer voice asks.   
"How'd you do dat?" Riley asks, in the same voice the computer guy does.   
"We asked name, and you didn't put nuttin'" The computer guy says again.   
"Well, at least you were smart enough not to give them your name." Riley tells Maya.   
"It's not that I'm smart enough." Maya snaps.   
"Then what is it?" I ask her.   
"Maybe sometimes, I'm not so proud of who I am." Maya tells us.   
"Maya, I know how that feels." I tell her. "I know how you feel. I know how it feels to be afraid, to be angry, to be left out, alone, unwanted, but I can tell you, it's gonna get better, even if it hasn't for me or you yet." I tell her, tears are threatening to fall from my eyes, but I won't let them drop.   
Just then, Mrs. Matthews comes in.   
"Mom, tell Maya to come back to school. Regular school." Riley whines to her mother.   
"Hmm. So you don't like this, huh?" Mrs. Matthews asks and realization dawns on me because I sorta know where she's going with this.   
"Of course not! Maya and Joey always come to school with me. They always pick me up at seven. I look forward to it." Riley says.   
"Like a tradition." Mrs. Matthews tells her daughter.   
"Yeah! Oh. You know, even though you're a mother, that was creepy good." Riley tells her mom.   
"So, Maya doesn't show up like she's supposed to and how does that make you feel?" Mrs. Matthews asks her daughter.   
"Ohhh." Riley says, putting her hands over her heart.   
"Honey, you have to go to him, he feels bad. You have to go to your father." Mrs. Matthews says.   
"I feel bad. Will he come to me?" Maya asks.   
"No. He's your teacher. He doesn't have to." Riley tells Maya.   
"But he will." Mrs. Matthews says.   
"What?" Maya asks.   
"He doesn't have to, but he will." Mrs. Matthews tells us.   
"Why?" Maya asks.   
"Because he's always there." She says. Mr. Matthews opens the door and takes Maya's hand, walking out.   
"Always." Mrs. Matthews says. Riley soon gets up to go join Maya and her father, but I stay behind with Mrs. Matthews.   
"Mrs. Matthews." I say.   
"Yeah, sweetie?" She asks me.   
"I got a 'C' minus on the history test today.." I tell her with tears in my eyes.   
"Good job, sweetheart." Mrs. Matthews says while pulling me into a hug. I am so glad to have this hug, this is something I hardly ever get.   
"How about we go get some food?" Mrs. Matthews asks me.   
"Okay. Thanks so much, Mrs. Matthews. I really needed that hug..." I tell her, wiping the tears from my cheeks.   
"No problem, Joey." Mrs. Matthews says. We both get up from the bay window and go out the door into the hallway.   
"The. You won't fail. And then neither will I." I hear Mr. Matthews say.   
"How about some turkey sandwiches?" Mrs. Matthews asks.   
"Darwin didn't study turkeys, he studied finches and mockingbirds. His boat was the Beagle." Maya says from the table.   
"And for extra credit?" Mr. Matthews asks.   
"Galapagos. The islands he studied were the Galapagos." Maya says.   
"Woah. How did you make her smart, and when can it be my turn?" I ask, amazed.   
"It'll be your turn when you're willing to learn." Mr. Matthews tells me. Then he turns to Maya. "Hey Maya, watch this." He says. He writes on her test, making her 'F' into an 'A'.   
"You're giving me an 'A'?" Maya asks, looking from her paper to Mr. Matthews.   
"No, I'm giving you a 'C+'. But I want you to see how easily an 'F' can become an 'A'." Mr. Matthews says.   
"Nothing to be ashamed of anymore, Maya." Riley tells her.   
"My dad doesn't live with...." Maya tries.   
"It's okay." Riley interrupts.   
"He's got this new family..." Maya says again.   
"Maya, you don't have to, I know what you're going through...." I tell her.   
"I do have to. I have to be able to talk to you. If you give me an 'F', if you decide I'm not worth working on..." Maya starts.   
"Maya, take a look around you. We're all here for you. Does this look like we think you're not worth working on?" Mr. Matthews asks.   
"I just don't wanna fail." Maya says.   
"I don't wanna go to the dance!" Riley interrupts. "The dance doesn't matter to me at all. I wanna go on the Cyclone with you more than anything in the world!" She exclaims to her father.   
"You're going to the dance." Mr. Matthews tells her.   
"Yay...." Riley says all dreamily.   
"I'm going to chaperone." Mr Matthews says.   
"What's that mean?" Riley asks, raising we hand like she's in a classroom or something.   
"Hand." Maya say.  
"What's that mean?" Riley asks, putting we hand down.   
"Grownup voice." Maya instructs again.   
"Lucas, hello." Riley says.   
"What's that mean?" Mr. Matthews asks.   
"Well, I clearly missed something in the hallway today, didn't I?" I as Maya and she nods her head with a smile on her face. 

We are at the dance and I had just danced with Farkle, so now I am sitting at a table.   
I sit there with jeans and a sweater. Now, I know dances are supposed to be like dress and nice cloths sorta occasion, but when your closet is limited to a coupe things, you make it work.   
Anyway, I was totally zoned out until I heard Mr. Matthews halfway through a speech.   
"A father-daughter dance." He says, leaving the stage. He walks over to Riley and she moves out of the way, revealing Maya. "May I please have this dance?" Mr. Matthews asks her. Maya takes his hand and they walk onto the dance floor.   
I sit there and watch the two of them dance a little, then Riley joins in and Mr. Matthews motions for me to join them.   
I walk over and take his hand and soon, all of us are dancing.   
The song ends and I hug Mr. Matthews. "Thanks so much, sir. I really needed that." I tell him.   
"Anytime, Joey." He tells me. 

The dance is over and it was amazing. I walk home.   
I climb up the fire escape and climb in through the small window in my bedroom.   
I walk through my apartment house.   
"Mom?" I call. No response. "Mom?" I call again, walking into the living room.   
I walk into the kitchen and see another note on the fridge.   
-Jo, had to work extra hours tonight. Won't be home till later, Mom.   
I swear, sometimes I think I actually live by myself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Give me feed back of the story so far. Positive and negative. I just want to know if I should continue writing this story. Thanks. Next chapter should be up in 2 days.**


	4. Girl Meets Truth

Jo's POV 

 

"Eyes, look your last. Arms take your last embrace. And lips, oh you the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss." Lucas says as a character in the school play. Riley was lying on the platform that he was walking over to.  
"Back off!" The audience hears from the stage. Farkle walks out from behind the stage with a spear.  
"What meanest thou? Spear carrier.....who havest no lines." Lucas says, super confused and trying not to break character.  
"You tried to kiss my woman. This I cannot allow. Prepare to die!" Farkle says, pushing his spear against Lucas.  
"Farkle, what are you doing?" I ask from behind stage. I'm not in play, I'm in stage crew.  
"It's Romeo and Juliet." Lucas says, breaking character.  
"Well now it's Romeo and Juliet and Farkle." He says, jabbing Lucas again with the spear.  
"Dude, I'm supposed to kiss the girl, Shakespeare said." Lucas practically whines to Farkle.  
"Who thinks the spread carrier should finally get to kiss Juliet?" Farkle asks, addressing the audience and throwing his hands above his head. That got a huge amount of cheering from the audience.  
"Really?" I sarcastically ask.  
"Yeah! You kiss that girl, you crazy spear carrier." I hear Maya cheer from the audience.  
"Hark! You cometh uppeth here and getteth kissed too." Farkle says, trying to stay in Shakespearean language.  
"Thank you. Thanks you. You're too kind." Is all I hear from Maya as she makes her way up to the stage.  
"Now, where's my other fair maiden?" Farkle asks, and I know he's talking about me so I creep farther back behind the curtains.  
"Pleeeease don't see me...." I whisper over and over again.  
"Aha! I've found her!" Farkle exclaims, walking off the stage and grabbing my hand, pulling me into the spotlight. I see Maya and Riley scoot over on the platform, so I go and lay over there with them.  
"How you doing?" Maya asks me.  
"Been better." I tell her. I really hope this play ends soon so Farkle won't have to kiss us. 

In the school hallway, Riley and Lucas walk down and there is a crowd lined up against the lockers, cheering for them. As soon as Farkle walked out, the cheering stopped, until Riley started it up again.  
"Thank you. Thank you, Farkle Nation!" Farkle exclaims, walking down the hallway.  
"He really thinks he was good?" I ask.  
"Farkle, come here." Maya orders.  
"Maya, don't. He thinks he was good." Riley warns her.  
"Well if you won't let her do it, I will." I tell her, motioning for Farkle to come over.  
"You guys can't tell him the truth. You'll crush him." Riley tells us.  
"Oh, we can tell him the truth." Maya starts out.  
"Its you who can't tell him the truth because you're afraid." I finish.  
"I'm not afraid. I'm nice." Riley tells us.  
"You're saying we're not nice?" Maya asks.  
"I know I'm not the nicest, but I can tell people the truth, without being afraid." I tell Riley. I can tell people the truth, most of the time.  
"Tell him the truth. You know Farkle. You know what will happen if you don't." Maya warns Riley.  
Farkle walks over and joins in in the conversation.  
"Farkle." Riley says. "You were so....What are the best words?"  
"He killed the play." I tell her.  
"Those are the words. Those are the only words." Maya says.  
"You killed the play. Tell him." I say again.  
"What do they mean?" Farkle asks, looking at Riley.  
"She means you killed it, Farkle. Killed it! Showbiz talk." Riley says, covering up what we had said.  
"I actually though put I ruined the play. If you would've told me I ruined the play, I would have believed you. I would have been crushed, but I would've believed you." Farkle tells Riley.  
"How could I crush one of the best actors working in middle school today?" Riley says.  
"Really?" I ask/exclaim. "This is pathetic, Riley. I'll be in the classroom." I sorta whisper to her and Maya.  
"Hey, Jo." Mr. Matthews says as I walk into the classroom.  
"Hey." I reply back.  
"Wouldn't expect you to be one of the first ones in the classroom." Mr. Matthews says.  
"I know right." I tell him. I sit cross legged on one of the desk tables in front of him so we can talk.  
"So, what's up? Where are Riley and Maya." He asks me.  
"Well, they're in the hallway. Riley is telling Farkle that he did well in the play, when we all know she's lying." I tell Mr. Matthews.  
"Interesting." Mr. Matthews says while zoning out a bit.  
"You got a lesson for that, sir?" I ask him.  
"I just might." Mr. Matthews says as the bell rings and students start filing into the room. 

"If history's about discovering the truth of what happened in the past, we should spend some time finding out what the truth is." Mr. Matthews starts his lesson. "All through history, people have suffered consequences for telling the truth. They all suffered dearly for having the courage to tell the truth."  
"So, sometimes it's better not to?" Riley asks her father.  
"But aren't there consequences for that too, sir?" Lucas asks.  
"Yes, there are, Mr. Friar. But in my experience with the universe, no matter what you do, the truth always finds a way of coming out." Mr. Matthews says, the bell ringing not too long after he finishes.  
We all stand up and I hang back with Riley and Maya.  
"So.....where'd you get the locket?" Riley asks Maya. I look around Maya's neck and see that she has a gold locket with designs.  
"It's really pretty." I tell Maya.  
"Thanks, Jo. I got the locket in France, Riley." Maya says.  
"You were in France?" Riley asks Maya.  
"Si, señor." Maya says.  
"That, was Spanish." I tell her.  
"You didn't go to France because if you went to France, you would have brought me back a croissant." Riley says, totally ignoring my comment.  
"Bing!" Maya says, holding up the pastry for Riley.  
"Ooh. Piping hot." Riley says, taking a bite of the croissant.  
"Really? She just said she went to France and spoke Spanish and that doesn't seem weird to you?" I ask Riley. Sometimes she was is la-la land for too long.  
"Wait? Where'd you really get this?" Riley asks.  
"I found it on the street." Maya says. Riley shouts and spits out the pastry, wiping her mouth. 

Maya walks out of the room and Riley runs after her. I follow after them.  
"Come on, where'd you get the locket?" Riley asks.  
"My father sent it to me." Maya says.  
"He did?" Riley asks.  
"You don't believe me?" Maya asks her. I kinda just lean against the locker and watch this scene play out.  
"Did you just tell me?" Riley asks.  
"I just told you." Maya says.  
"Then I believe you." Riley says.  
"So this is over?" Maya asks.  
"Like it never happened. I do, however, have one question for the locket." Riley holds the locket and practically talks to it. "Where'd you get the Maya?!" Riley shouts.  
"You don't believe my father sent this to me?" Maya asks.  
"Why don't you just tell me?" Riley asks.  
"Why don't you just call me a lair?" Maya questions.  
"Why don't you just tell me the truth?" Riley asks.  
"Oh, you think that's important?" Maya asks.  
"I do." Riley says.  
"Did you think Farkle was good in the play?" Maya asks. Farkle walks by and when he hears that, he gives a dramatic gasp. 

Riley told me to meet her at the bay window, so we could talk to Maya about the stupid locket business. I was in no hurry, because I don't care much about the locket or where she got it.  
I climb through the window to see that Riley and Maya are already talking.  
"I need to know if you're stealing things." Riley says.  
"Woah. I may have just come now, but this is Maya, she wouldn't steal, at least not without a purpose." I tell Riley.  
"Tell me. Are you stealing things?" Riley asks Maya.  
"You don't think my dad sends me stuff?" Maya asks.  
"Maya, you've cried to me because your dad doesn't send you stuff. I comfort you and Joey, when you guys cry about your dads." Riley says. I look down at my hands which are in my lap and I hear Maya take a deep breath in.  
"Sometimes I walk around the village and I pass stores and look in windows at things I know I'll never have. So one day, I saw this locket sitting in the lost and found basket. Do you think it's right that somebody loses something so beautiful and never domes back for if?" Maya says to us.  
"Who knows? I don't have a criminal mind. I'm not like you or Joey." Riley says.  
"I walked by the window for months. Nobody claimed the locket, okay? It sat there like a kid that has no.....like an orphan. So I claimed it so now it's mine." Maya says, gripping onto the locket.  
"It's not. You took something that doesn't belong to you." Riley tells her.  
I sit in the bay window and watched, amazed at what's going down in this room. Something's gonna go bad, I know it.  
"How come you don't tell Farkle the truth, but you have no trouble telling me?" Maya asks. A pigeon flies in the window and Maya turns to glare at it. "And you, still judging me." Maya tells the pigeon. Seconds later, it flies away.  
"Hey, my father tells my mother the truth, even when he knows she's gonna shove chicken in his face." Riley says.  
"Really? I can't believe we missed that!" I say.  
"I was thinking about you guys." Riley says.  
"Thanks.' Maya says.  
"Cause I love you guys." Riley says.  
"We love you too." I tell her.  
"Then why do you want to end up in the slammer?" Riley asks Maya.  
"Here we go." Maya huffs and sits down next to me.  
"You won't do well in the slammer." Riley says.  
"I will so." Maya defends.  
"You won't pack right. And you'll forget to bring...blah blah blah..." I kinda zoned out when she was talking.  
"That's adorable." Maya says, snapping me out of my "trance".  
"I think you're a thief." Riley says.  
"That's not." Maya says.  
"You think I'm afraid to tell people the truth? I'm not, and I now await your praise." Riley says, throwing her arms out the her sides, hoping for s hug. Maya gets up from where we were sitting and climbs out of the bay window. "Maya?" Riley asks.  
"Maya!" I shout, climbing through the window and running after her. I stop her on the sidewalk below the apartment complex we had just come out from.  
"What, Jo?" Maya asks. I can see that there are tears in her eyes.  
"Are you okay?" I ask her.  
"No I'm not okay. One of my best friends thinks I'm a liar and a thief." Maya says, pretty much recapping what had happened in Riley's room.  
"Well, let's walk home, then." I tell Maya.  
We get to the building and she goes in the front door while I go around the side and climb up the ladder. Opening the window, I jump in and climb straight into bed. I was wiped from today, for like no reason. 

"I got something to say to you." Riley says, bright and early the next day at school.  
Maya starts singing and plugs her ears. "I can't ear you...." and she sings a weird song, dancing around the hallway. "Annnnnnnd......Go." Maya says when she stops singing.  
"Whether or not you're a thief, or not a theism or you stole the locket, or you didn't, it doesn't belong to you. It belongs to somebody else. And you have to tell the truth about it beast you are upsetting the universe. And the universe is gonna have the truth come out anyways." Riley tells Maya. Mr. Matthews walks by us.  
"And what about you? When are you gonna tell the truth to Farkle?" Maya questions Riley.  
"I hardly think that the universe is upset with me for being nice to Farkle. I mean, what could possibly go wrong?" Riley asks.  
"Ooh. Bad move. Whenever you say that, things tend to go wrong the seconds after those words." I tell Riley.  
"Hey, Chess Club," We heat Farkle say. "You can move your King's Knight to Bishop Six and then you can eat it! Cause I quit the Chess Clib, cause I'm an actor, cause Riley said so." Farkle exclaims.  
"Cause Riley says so." I mimicked Farkle.  
"Hey, Chimstry Club you know what you get when you put sodium and chlorine together? You're a bunch of losers!" Farkle shouts.  
"Dang, Farkle." I say.  
"Farkle!" Riley yells to him.  
"Riley you changed my life. The Farkle you knew is gone. I am now.....Farkle!" He says with even more dramatic flair than he usually has.  
Maya starts singing about what could go wrong. 

So, after school I went home and my mom wasn't there.....shocker....(did you hear the sarcasm in my voice, there?) Anyways, I decided that I should go over to the Matthews' apartment since I didn't want to be alone, and I wanted to help Riley and Maya through this whole truth lesson Mr. Matthews was teaching us.  
Anyways, I climb up the ladder and see a familiar face up there.  
"Mr. Matthews?" I ask.  
"Joey! Good to see you." He says.  
"Okay....what are you doing out here?" I ask him.  
"I told the truth too many times. I'm just trying to get back in the house." Mr. Matthews explains to me.  
"Okay then, let's go." I say. I knock on the window and I hear Riley's voice.  
"Maya?"  
"Nope, me. And Joey." Mr. Matthews says as we crawl through the window and sit on the ledge.  
"Told more truths, did ya?" Riley asks.  
"Well, the thing I probably should have mentioned is I've never understood the universe at all." Mr. Matthews says.  
"With all your mistakes, I didn't expect you to know the universe." I tell him, earning a glare.  
"The universe is upside down. I lied to Farkle, he loves me. I told Maya the truth, she went out the window. Upside down! You hear me?" Riley exclaims.  
"Hey." Maya says, jumping through the window and sitting in between me and Riley.  
"Well, now she's back. Maybe it's not as upside down as you think." Mr. Matthews says, looking at the locket. "It's a nice locket, Maya."  
"Thanks, Mr. Matthews." Maya says.  
"It looks like someone else's expensive gold locket." Riley says.  
"Maybe it is. But you know, I don't think that matters to Maya at all." Mr. Matthews says, and I know exactly where he's going with this.  
"You don't?" Riley asks.  
"Riley," I say. "The thing about lockets is that what's inside matters most to people." I tell her.  
Mr. Matthews goes to leave and Mrs. Matthews is standing there, waiting with a chicken in her hand.  
"Please don't tell anyone this is how I live in my own house." Mr. Matthews says, he climbs out the window.  
"What's inside the locket, Maya?" Riley asks. Maya opens the locket to reveal a family picture.  
"Who is this family?" Riley asks.  
"I don't know. A father, a mother, a little girl...." Maya starts.  
"They're all together..." I say, tears blurring my vision a little. "I'll be back." I tel, them. I get up and walk out the door.  
I walk out of the hallway and sit at the table. No one else is in the living room until Mrs. Matthews walks by.  
"Joey? You alright?" She asks me.  
"I don't know." I tell her.  
"What's up?" She asks, sitting on the bench next to me.  
"It's just...Maya has a locket with a family in it. And the family is together. And that just made me think about my family.....and it's just hard...." I tell her. She embraces me in a hug and we sit there like that for a little until we see Auggie leave the kitchen with a bowl of spaghetti. 

"Farkle, I need to talk to you. I've been looking all over for you." Riley tells him. I pick up the spear on the ground and jab him with it.  
"Farkle' gone. He gave up the chess club. He gave up the chemistry club." Farkle sighs, laying on the platform from the play.  
"What happened?" Riley asks him.  
"You happened. You told me I was good. Well, I just auditioned for the next play." Farkle says.  
"Are you gonna be in the next play?" Riley asks.  
"I'm not even allowed to watch the next play." Farkle says. I start laughing. "Gee thanks, Joey." Farkle says.  
"Well, I'm sorry you stink." I tell him.  
"I'm sorry, I could never hurt you." Riley says.  
"I'm sorry you stink." Maya says.  
"I heard you two the first time!" Farkle shouts.  
"Well, it was very important." I tell him.  
"You made me think I was this great actor. You filled me up with confidence that I was really special. You made me think I could go after something totally unrealistic." Farkle says, standing up in front of Riley.  
"Farkle...." Riley says.  
"Thank you..." Farkle says. He leans in and gives Riley a kiss, which was on the chin, but still a kiss. Then, Farkle walks away, leaving the three of us and that hilarious situation.  
"Well...that happened." I say.  
"Is it over?" Riley asks, she still has her eyes closed.  
"Can we talk about this?" Maya asks.  
"No." Riley says.  
"Bascule that was your first kiss, and it was with Farkle." I tell Riley.  
"He missed." Riley defends.  
"Still counts." Maya says. "Now, for the rest of your life wen people ask 'Hey Riley, who was your first kiss?' You're gonna have to say-"  
"Eyes look your last." We hear Lucas say.  
"Ugh." I exclaim. Riley lies down with her arms folded, just like she did in the play.  
"Arms, take your last embrace. And lips, oh you the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss." Lucas quotes.  
"Hi." Riley says.  
"Hi." Lucas says.  
"How long you been here?" Riley asks.  
"Yeah, I saw the whole thing. I just can't believe that little guy stole my moment, again." Lucas says.  
"You thought that was your moment?" Riley asks.  
"No." Lucas says.  
"Oh." Riley says.  
"My moment will be my moment." Lucas tells her. Riley sighs and giggles as he leaves the stage. Maya and I jump onto the platform and lay next to Riley, just like we had in the play.  
"How you doing?" Maya asks.  
"I like that we end up in situations like this." Riley says. 

Later that day, the three of us were in the subway stations and Maya was gonna return the locket.  
"You're doing the right thing, returning the locket to the store." Riley says.  
"I guess so." Maya replies.  
"Maya, I know how much you want a locket with a family inside it." Riley tells her.  
"You want the truth?" Maya asks.  
"Yes, please." Riley says.  
"My father hasn't sent me anything in a long time. And the universe is probably much too bust to notice whether or not I'm doing the right thing." Maya says.  
"I know how you feel, Maya. But....." I notice something out of the corner of my eye. "Look over there." I tell her. The family from the locket is standing there, waiting for the subway. We walk over to them.  
"Hi.... I think this belongs to you." Maya says to the little girl.  
"Oh my gosh. I've been looking for that everywhere, thank you." The mother of the little girl says.  
"Thank you." The little girl says as Maya outs the locket around her neck.  
"Never lose this." Maya tells her.  
"Cool universe, huh?" Riley asks us. We walk away and there's a pigeon following us. 

I climb up the ladder and through the window. Walking through the house, my mom isn't there and there's another note on the fridge.  
"Okay, now I'm thinking she's never coming back...." I say out loud holding the note in my hands and hoping that it's not true. But one thing I've learned is to never hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Tell me what you think of this chapter. Hope you like it! Next chapter with be up in 2 days.**


	5. Girl Meets Popular

Jo's POV 

We were standing by the lockers when Riley started getting really excited about who knows what.  
"Look what's happening, look what's coming." Riley exclaims.  
"What's coming, crazy?" I ask Riley.  
"Invitations, to seventh grade parties...." I really zoned out when Riley was talking until someone handed Riley paper.  
"Yay! For me! Maya, Joey, I know you didn't get one, but is it okay if I'm really happy?" Riley asks.  
"You go get 'em, tiger." Maya says. Riley does this crazy walk and leaves us.  
"I love you, but you're a lot of work." Maya says, doing the same walk Riley did.  
"I missed so much!" I exclaim to no one in particular. 

I walk into the classroom with Riley and Maya. Maya had caught me up on everything I needed to know and the plan for manipulating Mr. Matthews.  
"Boom!" Riley exclaims, throwing her invitation on the desk her father is sitting at.  
"You got invited to something?" Mr. Matthews asks.  
"She finally did." I tell him.  
"So much for genetics, baby." Riley says.  
"Ooh, seventh grade party." Mr. Matthews says. "I didn't get invited to a whole lot of these."  
"Ha! Loser..." I say quietly, earning a glare from Mr. Matthews and a laugh from Maya.  
"Well, Riley, good for you, I'm proud of you." Mr. Matthews tells his daughter. "Boy-girl party?" Mr. Matthews asks.  
"Yup." Riley says.  
"You can't go." Riley and Mr. Matthews say in unison.  
"May we approach?" Maya asks.  
"Hurry, please." Mr. Matthews and Riley say in unison again. Maya and I walk over to the desk. I put my arms around Maya and Riley.  
"We're gonna keep your young'un out of trouble, sir." I tell him.  
"Edwards, Hart, you two are trouble. Why would I want my young'un anywhere near the same party you're gonna be at?" Mr. Matthews asks. Good question that could leave anyone speechless. Too bad we have a better answer.  
"You wouldn't." Maya tells him.  
"Say it. You know you wanna say it." I tell him.  
"You can't go if Maya and Joey are invited." Mr. Matthews says.  
"Maya and Joey aren't invited." Riley says.  
"Then you may go." I tell Riley.  
"Thanks, Daddy." Riley says.  
"Alright, class dismissed!" Maya exclaims.  
"Sit down!" Mr. Matthews says.  
"Sit down!" The three of us say.  
Mr. Matthews goes to teaching his lesson, and I go back to my busy habit of zoning out. Mr. Matthews talks about Damocles, blah blah blah, something about parties, blah blah blah, and swords, blah blah blah. Wow, I'm so ready for a test that could come up in this stuff....(note the sarcasm).  
".....he noticed a sword hanging over his head, held up by a single tiny thread." I tune in to hear Farkle say.  
"Joey." Mr. Matthews says.  
"Yea?" I ask him.  
"Any input on that?" Mr. Matthews asks.  
"Well, you should.....um.....make sure there's not a sword over.....your head when you sit down....." I tell him. As soon as that response comes out of my mouth, I think of a better reason. "Or....just don't go to parties with people who wanna kill you..."  
Mr. Matthews just stares at me. "I really give up on you...." He says.  
"Gee, thanks." I tell him.  
"Let's try this again. Maya." Mr. Matthews says, trying to get someone who might actually know stuff to talk.  
"Be careful what you wish for." She says.  
"Why?" Mr. Matthews says.  
"Being what other people want you to be is just a sword hanging over your head." Maya says. I turn to look at her.  
"How are you smart?" I ask her. She gives me a small smile and turns back to face Mr. Matthews.  
"Riley." He says.  
"Nothing to do with me." She says.  
"I really gotta start paying attention." I say out loud. 

Later after school, we are walking to the place it said on Riley's invitation.  
"Well, looks here, teacher daddy, nothing hanging over my head except this here halo of popularity." Riley says.  
"Wow..." I croak out, she really believes this is a party.  
"And yay for you, my best friends, for watching me with a smile." Riley exclaims with a huge smile.  
"Yea, we're smiling and watching...." Maya tells her.  
"Alright, Hal hour you can stay. I'm waiting right here." Mr. Matthews says, going into protective father mode. Riley rings the doorbell. "I changed my mind, I want you two in there. Protect your friend." Mr. Matthews tells us.  
"We can't do that, sir. Wasn't invited." I tell him.  
"Why is that exactly?" Mr. Matthews asks.  
"About to find that answer out, sir." I tell him, pointing in the direction of the door.  
"Smile. Watch." Maya says.  
"Greetings, fellow partygoer." Farkle says from inside the party that Riley was going to attend.  
"Farkle?" Riley asks.  
"Is this becoming clear to you, sir?" I ask Mr. Matthews.  
"Oh yeah. I'm smiling real big." Mr. Matthews says, pointing to his shining smile.  
"Announcing the arrival of part guest number 6, female number 1." Farkle says.  
"That's hilarious!" I say.  
"I'm a female, Farkle." A girl from inside the room says.  
"Even better!" I shout.  
"You getting this yet?" Maya asks Mr. Matthews.  
"But.....pretty boy....pretty boy's still here." Riley objects.  
"Wait for it...." I tell Mr. Matthews. The "pretty boy" in the party takes off the jacket, revealing two nerdy looking people.  
"That's the greatest thing I've ever seen in my life." Mr. Matthews says.  
"It's a geek party!" Riley complains.  
"I know, honey." Maya says.  
"Everybody, welcome Riley." Farkle says. Everyone says hello in a very awkward way.  
"Honey, stay for an hour. Stay a week, stay forever." Mr. Matthews says while laughing and pushing his daughter further into the room.  
"Just enjoy." I tell her.  
"Hey, you know what would make this perfect for me?" Mr. Matthews asks.  
"A cherry pie?" I ask.  
"No...." Mr. Matthews replies.  
"Have you noticed the light sabers hanging from the ceiling precariously over your head?" Farkle asks. A lightsaber shoots down and stops over Riley's head. I finally understand that it relates back to the lesson we learned in class. But honestly, when does our life not relate back to history class?  
"Damocles." Risk says. Mr. Matthews, Maya and I laugh our heads off in the hallway.  
Maya and I leave to go to our apartment building. Climbing up the ladder, I just go straight to bed and I don't even bother to see if my mom is home or not. 

"Okay Farkle. Where is she?" I demand, pulling Farkle out of his chair by his shirt.  
"Whatever have I done to deserve this display of affection?" Farkle asks me.  
"This look like affection to you?" I ask him, my grip getting tighter on his shirt.  
"I takes it however I gets it. Right there nurse." Farkle says, smacking in lips.  
"You little-" I start. Maya stops me, though, that's the only upsetting part, I was so ready to punch him.  
"She wasn't there when we tried to pick her up this morning and we couldn't find her in the halls." Maya says to Farkle, taking his shirt from my grip and pulling him up.  
"What'd you do to our girl?" I question him.  
"Maya, release the Farkle." We hear Riley say from the hallway. Riley walks in in an interesting outfit and colored hair. "Farkle didn't do anything except open my eyes to what the world really thinks I am."  
"A harajuku girl?" Maya asks.  
"Yes, Maya, because I figure what I am is nerdy-geeky, I'm gonna set the nerdy-geeky world on fire." Rile exclaims.  
"You take it." I tell Mr. Matthews.  
"Nope. Beyond me. All yours." Mr. Matthews says.  
"But I don't want it!" I whine to him.  
"Too bad." Mr. Matthews replies.  
"Why should I struggle to be popular when I can be these people's empress fairy queen?" Riley asks.  
"Really? A fairy queen?" I sarcastically ask Riley.  
"No, please, the one guy was two guys." Maya objects.  
"Yea, the sword fell. This is the way you're gonna go?" I ask Riley. "You're gonna embrace this?"  
"Deal with it. I've gone over to the dork side." Riley says.  
"Did they bribe you with cookies?" I sarcastically ask her. I guess I'm a really sarcastic person.  
"This isn't you." Maya says.  
"This is her." Farkle jumps in.  
"They love this me." Riley says.  
"We're not changing you back." Maya tells Riley.  
"Oh, yes you are." Mr. Matthews jumps in. "My daughter's going through this week's crazy, you get it there."  
"Father, may we continue with the lesson? I seek knowledge." Riley says while looking at the textbook.  
"Never mind. Leave her alone." Mr. Matthews says to me and Maya.  
"Look at her." I say. Our Riley doesn't look through the book, just because. Mr. Matthews runs over to the boy's who were at her party and talks to them, about what, I have no idea. 

We were by the lockers the next day, and Maya and I still haven't figured out how to fix Riley.  
"This is not who you are. What do you know about being a harajuku girl?" Maya asks.  
"I don't have to know anything except that they love it." Riley says. "Sorry, Maya and Joey, I walk with a different crowd." We walk into the classroom and the boys who were at the party seemed to have taken her style as their own.  
"Yikes!" I say, stopping dead in my tracks.  
"And as you can see, I'm quite the influence on them." Riley says, skipping to her seat. Mr. Matthews pulls us aside.  
"Maya? Joey?" He asks.  
"She's....gone, sir." I tell him.  
"Yes, she is." Farkle says from his seat, looking at Riley.  
"She's one of us now, Maya and Joey." Farkle says.  
"No, she's one of us." I tell Farkle.  
"You guys aren't letting her reach her full potential." Farkle says to us.  
"The world we know wang you to be yourself, Riley." Maya tells her.  
"In our world....we need you in it." I tell Riley.  
"She's one of us." Farkle says. "And I've decided to prove it by letting you be on our team for the spelling bee."  
"Really?" Riley asks with some enthusiasm.  
"I'm right about you, Riley. I know I am." Farkle says.  
"Thank you Farkle." Riley says. Then she turns to us. "Sorry, Maya and Joey. The world wants what the world wants. And right now, the world wants me like this."  
"And right now, the world doesn't want me to accept this." I tell Riley, looking her straight in the eyes. I then turn and leave the classroom. Talk about dramatic! 

We're at a spelling bee. A spelling bee! One of the worst things for a Dyslexic to attend, at least in my book. Why are spelling bees even a thing? Yay, good for you, you can spell. Guess what, I can't.  
"Okay, Miss. Matthews, your first word is...." Mr. Matthews starts at the microphone when I place a card in his deck.  
"Joey, you can't-" He starts, but he doesn't get to finish because Maya comes up behind me and cuts him off.  
"Check out the word, Mr. Matthews." She tells him.  
"Maya, Joey, what are you doing?" Riley asks from her microphone on the stage.  
"Hey, Farkle's not the only one with a master plan." I tell Riley, smiling wickedly at her and Farkle.  
"Miss. Matthews, your first word is harajuku." Mr Matthews says.  
"Excuse me?" Riley asks.  
"Harajuku." Mr. Matthews repeats again.  
"Oh, may I have the meaning if the word?" Riley asks.  
"Really? You don't know?" I ask her. She just stares at me, Maya and Mr. Matthews. "Well then, I'm sure Mr. Matthews would be able to tell you, right sir?" I say.  
"It's a real neighborhood in Japan, where authentic Japanese girls have created an authentic look and life for themselves that is unique for them." Mr. Matthews says.  
"Country of origin?" Riley says.  
"Are you kidding me?" I ask.  
"Can I hear it in a sentence?" Riley asks us.  
"Yea." Maya says, stepping in front of the microphone. "Stop pretending to be a harajuku girl, because you're not. You're Riley. R-i-l-e-y."  
Well looky there, another person who can spell. Yay... (see my sarcasm?)  
"Five seconds, Miss. Matthews, or you're eliminated." Mr. Matthews says to his daughter.  
"What do you mean eliminated?" Riley asks.  
"It means you wouldn't be a part of the group anymore." Farkle tells her from his seat.  
"Harajuku." Riley says, facing back towards us. "Something I'm n-o-t." She says, taking her big glasses off and facing Farkle again. "Sorry, Farkle. It was a lovely party and your friends are really pretty cool."  
"We are?" On boy asks.  
"We've never been called that before." Another boy says.  
"Thanks, Riley. We feel the same way about you." Farkle says. Someone rings a bell, telling that someone was eliminated.  
"Well, I guess we're back to where popular is gonna be kind of hard, huh?" Riley asks us after she came down from the stage.  
"I wouldn't know." Maya says.  
"Yea, and let's not try so hard to find out." I tell Riley and Maya. Riley throws her arms around me and Maya and we walk out of the spelling bee room. 

After climbing the ladder to my apartment room, I shower, get dressed and look around the house.  
By now, you should all know what I'm looking for, my mom. All I find is another little sticky note on the fridge. I don't even bother reading it because I already know what it says.  
So, instead of staying in the house, I go out the window and climb. But this time, I climb down instead of up.  
I get to where I wanna be and knock on the window.  
"Yea?" Maya asks me.  
"Hey, my mom's not home and I don't wanna be alone. Can I crash here for the night?" I ask her.  
"Sure." She replies, stepping out from the window so I can climb through.  
"Thanks." I tell her.  
"No problem." She says. "So, where's your mom?" Maya asks me.  
"At work..." I tell Maya. I mean, she could be at work, I wanna believe she's at work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **I'm gonna start a posting schedule, here are the dates for the next 4 episodes**  
> Girl Meets Maya' Mother--------------December 22, 2016  
> Girl Meets Carzy Hat------------------December 24, 2016  
> Girl Meets World Terror---------------December 27, 2016  
> Girl Meets The Forgotten-------------December 30, 2016


	6. Girl Meets Maya's Mother

Jo's POV 

We were sitting in art class and I was seriously zoned out while Riley and Maya painted. I hear screaming that snaps me out of my thoughts.   
"No!" Riley and Maya scream, covering their eyes.   
"What happened?" I ask. I look over and see Farkle in a tank top and short shorts. "Ew." I say.   
"Gee thanks, Jo." Farkle says.   
"Well, looky here. The male physique." Ms. Kossal, our art teacher, says.   
"Why thank you, art lady." Farkle says.   
"Why aren't we drawing Lucas?" Riley asks. Miss. Kossal looks over at Lucas.   
"Because no one looks like that." She says. She then walks over to Farkle and grabs his shoulders. "Get used to this. Get used to this right now. When drawing a 'Farkle', start with the eyes."   
"I think the eyes should go straight to the gun show." Farkle says while flexing his non existing muscles.   
"Please, Farkle, I've got more muscles than you." I tell him. I'm extremely skinny and I took gymnastics for a while, so I've got some muscle. Anyway, back to the story.   
"Maya, you're supposed to concentrate on the eyes." Riley says. I look over at Maya's canvas and see a bird type thing. I can't paint or draw. I know, I'm a pretty weird person. Can't draw, can't write, can barely read, have dyslexia, and a lot more stuff that I'll reveal to you later. But, I can do sports, so that's a plus. Anyway, I just sit there and take the bad grade for art class.   
"See, you know what my problem is? I don't listen. By the way, you're drawing Lucas." Maya tells Riley.   
Riley looks down at her sketch pad. I walk over and see that she is indeed drawing Lucas. She looks up at Lucas smiling and giggling out of control.   
"Oh, well I'm sure that's the first time I've ever done that." Riley tells Maya and I.   
Maya flips through Riley's sketch book to reveal a boat load of drawings of Lucas.   
"Girl, you got a problem." I tell her.   
"Alright, now I know these are works in progress, but let's see where we are." Miss. Kossal says. Riley starts going on and on about being an artist in Paris.   
"Bonjour, Lucas." Riley says. Lucas then says who knows what in French and all Riley can say is, "Bonjour, Lucas."   
"Oh my gosh." Miss. Kossal says from behind Riley.   
"See? I am an artist. I am finally something!" Riley exclaims.   
"Maya." Miss. Kossal says, walking right past Riley.   
"Ouch." I say out loud. I stand up from my desk and lean my elbows on the edge of Riley's desk and watch Miss. Kossal admire Maya's art piece.   
"What a life I'm having." Riley says in a very annoyed tone. Miss. Kossal shows Maya's art work to the class.   
"Farkle's in a bird's nest." Riley says.   
"It's a work of surrealism, Riley. It's how the artist's mind views the subject." Miss. Kossal tells her.   
"I'm a bird to you?" Farkle asks.   
"No, you just....need to be protected." Maya says.   
"Awwwww, that's so sweet." I tell her in a friendly mocking way.   
"You love me." Farkle tells her.   
"Leave me alone." Maya says to Farkle, pointing at him with a paintbrush.   
"Maya, there's a school exhibit coming up. I want one of your pieces to be in it." Miss. Kossal says.   
"What about my piece?" Riley asks.   
"That's a cute top." Miss. Kossal says, totally avoiding the question.   
"No thanks, Miss. Kossal. I don't draw for other people to look at, but thank you." Maya says.   
"I'd appreciate you thinking about it, okay?" Miss Kossal tells her. Farkle then gets up out of the chair in the middle and gets ready to leave to some class.   
"Where you going?" I ask him.   
"Gym class. That should go well, right?" Farkle says with a smile. 

Nothing really happened to me the rest of that day, so I'm just gonna skip to the next day.   
In class, Mr. Matthews had written CAREER DAY on the chalkboard in big letters. This was my least favorite day. My mom works at The Nighthawk Diner and doesn't show up to these kinds of things.   
"All right, future history makers, welcome to career day. Now, there are a lot of ways to make your mark on the world." Mr. Matthews says. Then the door opens, revealing Mrs. Matthews.   
"Hi, Riley." Mrs. Matthews greets her daughter.   
"Oh great, Shakira's here..." Riley says with sarcasm. I guess I'm finally rubbing off on her. I'm so proud. "Where's your moms?" Riley asks Maya and I.   
"Not coming." Maya tells her. I don't answer, I look down and zone out, completely forgetting that I was in school. Jeez, I see that I zone out a whole lot, another one of my problems, nothing can keep my attention or focus for a while. I just can't focus sometimes.   
Someone knocks on the door and Lucas' voice snaps me out of my thoughts.   
"Wait a minute." Lucas says.   
"Yes?" Farkle asks.   
"He's your father?" Lucas asks.   
"Look at us." Farkle says. Farkle and his supposed "dad" put their faces next to each other and we all can see the resemblance.   
"Your name is Farkle Minkus?" Lucas asks.   
"Don't wear it out." Farkle says.   
"I don't know how you could." Lucas replies.   
"Minkus? What kind of a name is Minkus?" I question.   
"My name is Farkle and that's the question you ask?" Farkle asks me.   
"Okay then...." I say.   
"Sorry I'm late, everybody. I had helicopter problems. Because I have a helicopter. Do you have a helicopter, Cory?" Mr. Minkus asks Mr. Matthews.   
"Nope. Do you have a Topanga, Minkus?" Mr. Matthews asks, standing next to his wife.   
"Nope, because she chose you. I run Minkus International, I have a helicopter, and she chose you." Mr. Minkus says.   
"Wow, a little sour I see..." I say. Mr. Matthews smiles at my comment.   
"Stuart, please. Aren't we a little too evolved to still be competing with each other?" Mrs. Matthews asks.   
"Of course." Mr. Minkus laughs.   
"Of course." Mrs. Matthews says, mimicking the same laugh that Mr. Minkus did.   
"Go." Mr. Minkus and Mrs. Matthews say together.   
"Between the two of us, Riley and I have 1260 'A's. Ha!" Mrs. Matthews exclaims.   
"That's remarkable, Topanga. Between the two of us, Farkle and I have 1261 'A's!" Mr. Minkus says.   
"Ha!" Both Mr. Minkus and Farkle say together. Mrs. Matthews looks at Mr. Matthews with eyes that could kill.   
"I-I had to, Topanga. He's a lot smarter than I am." Mr. Matthews stammers.   
"But what's more important to me than anything....is that I have this guy. Come up here, son." Mr. Minkus says. Farkle walks up to the front, standing next to his father.   
"Come up here, daughter." Mrs. Matthews calls Riley. "Look how tall she is. She's been taller than me since the day she was born."   
Mr. Minkus pushes Farkle up a little bit, so he looks tall.   
"Well, very nice." Mr. Matthews says. "Good for you guys. So this is what career day is all about."   
"Yea, we love it every year." Maya sarcastically says.   
"I'm sorry, Maya and Joey. Maybe your moms just got a little busy?" Mr. Matthews suggests.   
"Are you okay?" Riley asks the two of us.   
"Always okay." I say with a thumbs up.   
Riley comes over and grabs Maya's hand and then grabs mine. She brings us up to stand in the front of the room.   
"Yea, thanks." Maya says.   
"So," Mr. Minkus says, turning to face the three of us. "These are the ladies you tell me keep chasing you, huh?" I look over at Farkle.   
"Please..." Farkle whispers to us.   
"Yes, sir, it is us." Riley says.   
"I'm not doing it." Maya says, receiving an elbow to the side of her stomach from Riley.   
"Yes sir, it is. We hope that one day one of us will be lucky enough to become the future Mrs. Farkle Minkus and have a lot of baby Minkii." Riley says, completely monotoned.  
"Not gonna happen." I say. 

"You hope for things, you get disappointed." I hear Maya say as I jump through the bay window and sit down.   
"Sup, peeps." I say.   
"What reason could your mom have for not showing up, Maya. You're right, I did expect her." Riley says.   
"And I didn't, see? Only one of us is disappointed." Maya says.   
"And only one of us will never let this go. You know that." Riley tells Maya.   
"Why aren't you grilling Jo about her mom?" Maya asks, pointing at me and trying to get the attention off of her.   
"Joey! Where was your mom today?" Riley asks me.   
"Work?" I shrug. Riley stares at me. "You hoped for her didn't you? You see, Riley, we don't expect out of life what you expect." I tell her.   
"What do I expect?" Riley asks us.   
"You expect....good things. You expect people to keep promises and for people to show up." Maya tells her.   
"What do you guys expect?" Riley asks.   
"None of those thing." I tell her.   
"Riley, we aren't dreamers like you." Maya tells her. I nod my head in agreement.   
"If your mom saw your art, doesn't it make sense that she'd be proud of you?" Riley asks Maya.   
"Yeah, it makes sense to you. Riley, you need to be okay with this. Do you understand that something is finally out of your control? Look, I know you can't control your twisted need to fix people's lives." Maya says.   
Riley fixes Maya's jacket and then my glasses.   
"We're begging you." Maya says.   
Riley then tucks Maya's blonde hair behind her ear and fixes my messy brown ponytail.   
"Ugh." I groan. 

The next day in class, sorry I keep skipping around so much, my home life is kinda boring. Anyways...  
"The Korean War." Mr. Matthews says.   
"Genghis Khan." Farkle says loudly.   
"What?" I ask, turning in my seat to face him.   
"I just wanted to see what would happen." Farkle says.   
"What happened was, you confused me." I tell him. Confusing me isn't hard to do, but confusing me while I'm already confused, takes skill.   
"Hello, Cory Matthews. I am so sorry for interrupting." Mrs. Hart says, walking into the classroom.   
"Oh no." I hear Maya say.   
"Nothing to forgive, Katy. Class, this is Maya's mother, Katy Hart." Mr. Matthews introduces her, stepping away from the front of the room.   
"Mom, what are you doing here? It was yesterday." Maya says, putting her head in her hands.   
"Yesterday I was unable to attend your little job fair." Mrs. Hart says.   
"Career day." Maya corrects. Then, Mrs. Hart goes into this big story about how she was trapped and was having a baby. I know right, o don't get it either.   
"Maya?" Riley asks when Mrs. Hart was done telling the story.   
"Soap opera. She was auditioning for a soap opera." Maya says.   
"Can you believe I didn't get it?" Mrs. Hart asks the class and her response was a unanimous: yes.  
"Yes. I am an actress. Are there any questions I can answer for anyone?" Mrs. Hart asks.   
I see Farkle raise his hand.   
"Ah, yes. The Farkle." Mrs. Hart says.   
"Why are you wearing a waitress outfit?" Farkle asks, gesturing towards the familiar waitress outfit that I've seen a lot.   
"Anyone else?" Mrs. Hart asks, totally ignoring Farkle. Lucas raises his hand and Mrs. Hart calls on him.   
"Yeah, thanks. Um, why are you wearing a waitress outfit?" Lucas asks.   
"My dad says actors are just a bunch of people who never grew up." A girl, Sarah, says.   
"What does your dad do?" Mrs. Hart asks.   
"He's a director." Sarah replies.   
"Is he? Well, I'm sure your father never gave me a job either, which is the real reason I wear this outfit everyday. Well, I'll just be going now." Mrs. Hart says. She leaves through the front door and Riley runs after her. Seconds later, Maya leaves.   
I raise my hand.   
"Yes, Ms. Edwards?" Mr. Matthews asks.   
"Can I be excused?" I ask him. He nods his head and I leave out of the back door.   
I don't round the corner to see Riley and Maya, instead, I slide down the lockers and sit there with my knees to my chest. I hear Maya and Mrs. Hart talking.   
"I think it works best for us when you go on your imaginary auditions and chase our imaginary father. I appreciate your coming. I do. And I'm not humiliated. I'm not. I'm-I'm okay. You okay?" I hear Maya ask her mother.   
Mrs. Hart and Riley keep talking while Maya leaves. Riley talks about the art show and I get a bad feeling about it.   
I hug my knees, with my back against the locker, and silently cry, but only a little. I wish someone cared about the relationship between me and my mother enough to help. 

We were in art the next day and Riley was what we were drawing.   
Blah blah blah, art stuff, blah blah blah, drawing more stuff, not stuff I really care about.   
"I'm glad you decided to display your art. I got your note in my teacher's box." Miss. Kossal tells Maya.   
"Oh dang." I say, realizing what Riley did.   
"That's the thing you're not supposed to get mad at." Riley tells Maya.   
"The exhibit starts at 6:00. Its thrilling seeing your art displayed, you won't regret it." Miss. Kossal says, walking out of the classroom.   
"You don't listen to a word I say, do you?" Maya asks Riley.   
"I-It's not because I'm disrespectful. It's because you're an artist." Riley tells Maya, quoting Miss. Kossal.   
"Yeah, let me paint you something." Maya says, grabbing a paintbrush and going over to Riley. Maya paints on Riley's face and the rest of the class runs out of the room.   
"Okay, Maya, I am your best friend and I will always do my best by you, no matter what you say." Riley says, painting in Maya's face.   
"Oh no." I say.   
Maya paints on Riley some more. "And who made you the king of friendship?"   
"I did." Riley says, painting more in Maya. "I made myself the king of friendship. And this would be my first act as king." Riley sticks her hand in red paint and rubs her hands all over Maya.   
Maya and Riley start throwing paint at each other, I take cover after yellow and green cover my shirt from crossfire.   
"Why won't you leave this alone?!" Maya asks.   
"I don't know how!" Riley shouts back.   
"Stop!" I yell, getting in between Riley and Maya and holding them back with my hands.   
"Stay out of this, Jo." Maya says.   
"No! You need to stop." I tell the two of them. Riley nods at Maya with a wicked smile and I get nervous. Maya and Riley both grab something behind them. "Riley? Maya?" I ask. They turn around and throw paint at me, covering me in more yellow and green. "Oh, yay." I sarcastically say.   
Just then, Miss. Kossal walks in the room.   
"Whoa! Riley...this is the most authentic piece you've done all semester." Miss. Kossal says, admiring Riley's "work". "Now clean it up. See you tonight, Maya." Miss. Kossal leaves the classroom.   
"One other thing.....I invited your mom...." Riley says. Maya picks up a can of paint and hands it to Riley. Riley looks sad, but pours the paint on her head, getting purple paint on my legs and shoes. 

Later that day, I was walking over to Riley's house, before the art exhibit and still covered in colorful paint. I climb up the ladder and reach the bay window. Climbing in, I see that no one is in there, so I kinda just wait, hoping that Riley will come.   
Footsteps round the corner and I sit up straighter. I see someone come in the door.   
"I thought Riley would be in here." Auggie says.   
"Yeah, me too." I tell him.   
"Why are you all colorful?" Auggie asks me.   
"Because I got in the middle of Maya and Riley in the art room and I have nothing else to wear." I tell him.   
"Okay. I can take you to my mommy. She could probably help?" Auggie suggests.   
"Sure." I tell him. He takes my hand and leads me to the kitchen, where Mr. and Mrs. Matthews are.   
"Nice look, Joey." Mr. Matthews says.   
"Very funny." I tell him.   
"Joey, what happened?" Mrs. Matthews asks me.   
"Riley and Maya. Anyways, I wanted to know were Riley was. We were supposed to go over to the art show together." I tell her.   
"She left a while ago. Here, I think I can get out some new clothes..." Mrs. Matthews says.   
"Mrs. Matthews, I really don't wanna trouble you with this." I tell her.   
"It's no trouble at all, now let me get you some new clothes-" I cut Mrs. Matthews off.   
"Actually, if I could just have jeans and a washcloth, I'll be fine." I tell her. She nods and leaves, getting me some jeans. I was fine with the "tye-dye" shirt.   
A couple minutes later, I was in clean jeans and I had wiped off the paint on my face and arms. I couldn't do anything about my green and yellow hair though.   
"Thank you so much, Mrs. Matthews. Bye." I call to her. 

After walking to the art show, I see Maya first.   
"Whoa! Nice hair!" Maya tells me while laughing.   
"Thanks. I had it colored by two of the best hair stylists in the world." I tell her, smiling.   
Riley, Farkle, and Lucas walk over to us.   
"Whoa! Your hair is colorful!" Lucas points out.   
"Whoa, you're a boy. Thanks for pointing out the obvious." I tell him.   
"So, how's it going?" Riley asks Maya.   
"It's going fine." Maya replies.   
"What does your mom think?" Riley asks. Really? Why can't she let it go?  
"She never showed up..." Riley finishes Maya's confused look.   
"It's just you guys." Maya says.   
"Are you telling me your mom never showed up?" Riley demands, her voice growing loud.   
"No, but of course you did." Maya says, gesturing to Mr. And Mrs. Matthews.   
"Hey, Maya. Wow, you really have some talent. Look at that place." Mrs. Matthews complements.   
"I bet it's got great mashed potatoes...." Mr. Matthews says, staring off into space.   
"Look at that lady, why can you only see half of her?" Farkle asks. I punch him in the arm and Lucas puts him in a weird headlock thing. "Ohhhhh." Farkle says.   
Riley grabs my hand and leaves the room, pulling me along with her.   
"Oh, jeez, Riley. Where are we going now?" I ask her, slightly annoyed. 

We approach the Night Hawk Diner. Riley slams open the door and bumps into some stranger, telling him to move.   
"Did you think I wouldn't hunt you down?" Riley asks Mrs. Hart at the counter.   
"No, I was pretty sure you would." Mrs. Hart replies. I zone out, again, while Riley and Mrs. Hart continue to talk about stuff.   
"....Yes or no?" Mrs. Hart says. Riley starts to leave the Diner with a tuna melt in her hand, when she stops at the door.   
"You coming, Joey?" She asks me.   
"Yeah, hold on a sec." I tell her. I turn to Mrs. Hart. "Where's my mom?" I ask her.   
"In the back right now, sweetie. Want me to get her?" Mrs. Hart asks.   
"No, its fine. I just wanted to know where she was." I tell her. I turn around and leave with Riley. 

"You have to wonder who this silly, little weird is." Mrs. Matthews tells Maya. Riley opens her mouth, mimicking the drawing. "Aw....it's our silly, little weirdo."   
"Thank you for staying with Maya." Riley tells her parents.   
"Always." Mr. Matthews says. He and Mrs. Matthews walk away, probably to view someone else's art.   
"We couldn't get her to come and we're very disappointed." Riley tells Maya.   
"We?!" I question.   
"I'm disappointed." Riley says, correcting herself.   
"I know, you expect too much." May tells her.   
"This is hard on me." Riley tells Maya, looking down at her feet.   
"You need a hug, darling?" May asks. Riley nods and Maya pulls her into a hug. I stand to the side a watch. "Come here, Jo." Maya says, pulling me into the hug.   
"Maya, I was wrong." Riley says.   
"No, Riley, you were right." Maya replies.   
"I'm very confused." Riley says.   
"Twins! I'm always confused!" I tell Riley with a huge smile.   
"Anyways. I showed my work. People liked it. It made me feel like I could be something someday." Maya says.   
"You will be. You are now." Riley tells her.   
"Thanks, Riley." Maya says.   
"You're welcome. You want half a tuna melt?" Riley asks her. Sitting down at the table.   
"You know why she gave this to you?" Maya asks.   
"Why?" Riley asks.   
"She knows it's my favorite thing there. She knew that you'd share with me." Maya says.   
"I'd be happy to give you the whole thing." Riley says.   
"I know you would, I'll be fine with half." Maya says, looking back at her painting.   
"You want some, Jo?" Maya asks.   
"I'm good, thanks though." I tell her.   
"Hey, nice hair." Riley says.   
"Thanks. I love it." I tell her, sitting across from them at the table. I may have been mad about my painted hair, but I'm glad it was my friends who painted me.


	7. Girl Meets Crazy Hat

Jo's POV

The three of us run into the subway station as thunder rumbles as rain pours outside. We were wearing trash bag ponchos, which is a step up from what I usually wear.  
Riley and Maya were talking and can you guess what I was doing? Zoning out, you know me so well!  
Anyways, I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard Evelyn speaking. That's right, I know like everyone in the subway station.  
"You three, come here! I'll teach you about life." She says. Maya and I walk over and sit on the bench. Riley just stands there.  
"Can't. Stranger. You want me to sit on the bench, I'm gonna need three forms of identification." Riley states.  
"Trust me, I know who she is. She's all right." Officer Eugene Cooper tells Riley.  
"Okay, Cooper." Riley says.  
"Hey! That's Officer Cooper to you." He says, making me laugh a little.  
"Hey, Josie. Mornin' Evelyn. Never gonna stop rainin', is it?" Officer Coopers asks her.  
"That's okay, Eugene. These three little dollies are about to give me one of their designer ponchos." Evelyn says.  
"They're garbage bags, Eugene. You have to put a hole for your head." Riley explains.  
"Ah, so you can breathe." Officer Cooper says.  
"So the garbage man doesn't throw you out." I tell him.  
"Yep, that happened." Maya says.  
"I was yelling, but he didn't care." Riley says with a smile.  
"We rescued her from the truck." Maya says.  
"They chased me all the way to 33rd street." Riley says.  
"Wow, now that's a friend. Me? I don't chase nobody for nothing." Officer Cooper says.  
"What if I stole a banana?" I ask him.  
"I'd be very disappointed in you, Josie." Officer Cooper tells me.  
"Okay then." I say.  
"I have observed that you three are good friends." Evelyn says.  
"Don't miss a thing, do you, crazy hat?" Maya asks.  
"No I don't. Now, you're about to be late for school, and I'm about to be late for addressing the United Nations." Evelyn says, standing up from the bench to leave. "Have a good day, dollies." I walk Evelyn over to the subway train and see Riley being thrown into a garbage can.  
"Not again!" I whine, chasing after her. 

After we had rescued Riley from the trash, we were in history class.  
"Belgium, 1831." Mr. Matthews starts.  
"No!" Riley shouts.  
"In 1831, Belgium..." Mr. Matthews tries again.  
"No!" Riley shouts again. "What my thing?" Riley asks Mr. Matthews.  
"What's your thing?" Mr. Matthews asks.  
"What am I going to be, Dad. Am I gonna be okay?" Riley asks her father.  
"Riley, listen to me very carefully. In 1831, Belgium declared its independence from the Netherlands." Mr. Matthews tries to continue with his lesson.  
"What will people be thinking of me if I end up living in a subway?" Riley asks.  
"What if nothing happens to her, sir? Riley can't end up like that. She's our meal ticket." Maya says for me and her.  
"What the....? I just saw you girls at breakfast!" Mr. Matthews exclaims. I kinda zone out when Farkle starts speaking different languages.  
"My education should not be based on your daughter's moods!" Farkle yells.  
"Neither should mine, but it is." Mr. Matthews says. "Guys, a daughter asks her father, 'what's my thing?'. This question will resonate in the hearts of all parents from the moment it's asked until the day their child feels comfortable in the world. Pretty soon you're all gonna join the work force. What's your thing? What do you aspire to? How will it affect people? That's the only history that matters." Mr. Matthews says.  
"Thank you, daddy." Riley says.  
"Thank you, daddy." Farkle mimics.  
"All right guys, tell you what-" Mr. Matthews starts, I cut him off with a groan. "You don't even know what's gonna happen yet, Joey." Mr. Matthews tells me.  
"I already know what's gonna happen. You are gonna make some sort of assignment that relates back to our lives." I say. "Tell me I'm wrong."  
"Anyways," Mr. Matthews says, after seconds of pause. "Let's split the class into 2 separate businesses and see how you do for yourselves. We'll see if anyone's got anything to worry about, okay?"  
"Excellent." Farkle says in some weird voice.  
"What will our companies be?" Riley asks.  
"Doesn't matter. Uh.... Muffins, okay? You two," Mr. Matthews says, pointing at Riley and a Farkle. "Are going to be 'Riley and Farkle's muffins.' That'll be your thing for the week." Mr. Matthews says.  
"I already got my thing." Maya says. I zone out until Farkle and Lucas start arguing.  
"You are everything that's wrong with this country." Farkle says to Lucas.  
"Then you do have a company." Mr. Matthews says. "'Hart and Friar Muffins'. And Joey..."  
"Will watch." I finish up for him.  
"Okay then. So, these two competing companies will hire the rest of you guys, minus Joey, as employees. Everyone else in the school will be your customers. Let's we what happens." Mr. Matthews says.  
"Here's what happens, we crush you..." Farkle keeps talking about all the money he's gonna make.  
The bell rings and Mr. Matthews holds me after class.  
"Joey, you're going to be the observer. You're going to watch both companies and report back your findings." Mr. Matthews tells me.  
"As long as I don't have to read or write, I'm in." I tell him. 

"Last muffin from this batch." Riley says and the crowd around their table groans.  
"Why are their muffins so white?" I ask Maya and Lucas. I sit crosslegged on the stool next to their table.  
"One dollar." I hear Riley say. Farkle pulls Riley to the side and talks to her about something.  
"Dollar and a quarter!" People start bidding for the last muffin that they have. 

Later, we were back in history.  
"Progress reports." Mr Matthews says.  
"Hart and Friar muffin report: we started with 100 muffins, made each with all natural and organic ingredients." Maya says.  
"And you selected these ingredients because?" Mr. Matthews asks.  
"Because that the right and responsible thing to do."  
"You really believe that?" Me. Matthews asks.  
"I dunno! You spend a day with this guy." Maya says. I start zoning out again and snap back to reality when Maya throws a muffin at me.  
"All right, let's talk about a real make-believe company. Farkle's muffins!" Farkle starts their report.  
"Riley and Farkle's muffins." Riley corrects.  
"Yeah, keep tellin' yourself that. Unlike our competitors, our profits are through the roof, and so are our employees." Farkle says.  
"Why are they like that?" Mr. Matthews asks the group. I look around and see that no one can sit still. I love it, I thought I was the only one who couldn't sit still.  
"They ate the product, sir." Farkle says.  
"Riley?" Mr. Matthews asks.  
"Everybody seems to like our muffins, Dad." Riley says.  
"Oh, my sweet innocent child. Can't you see why?" Mr. Matthews asks his daughter.  
"Because they're filled with love." Riley says with a huge smile.  
"I don't think that's what they're filled with, Riley." Mr. Matthews tells her. "Yeah. Why do they come out so white, Farkle?" Lucas asks him.  
"Because they're 100% carbon, hydrogen and oxygen." Farkle says.  
"Dumb it down, Farkle." I say from my seat.  
"Sugar! They're all sugar! Just one big sugar cube!" Farkle says with a weird voice.  
"What? Ours are oatmeal, honey and locally-harvested berries." Lucas says.  
"Farkle , you said all-natural." Riley says.  
"Sugar!" Farkle shouts.  
"You said organic."  
"Sugar!"  
"You said delicious." Riley tries to protest again.  
"Sugar!" The class screams.  
"Farkle, we're a business. Businesses do not just mislead their customers to make a little bit of money!" Riley says.  
Farkle laughs.  
"We're done for, Farkle. These muffins are pure evil." They keep rambling on about this stuff until Farkle wants to buy Lucas and Maya's muffin company.  
"And what does that get them? We can buy and sell their business. In fact, I like the sound of this. I propose a merger between Riley as Farkle's muffins and Hart and Friar muffins." Farkle says.  
"Why the merger, Farkle?" Mr. Matthews asks.  
"We both have what we each need, Mr. Matthews. We have profits. They have integrity. I'm buying it!" Farkle says.  
"My integrity is not for sale." Lucas states.  
"Mine is." Maya says while raising her hand.  
"Maya!" Lucas says.  
"We owe your mother a hundred bucks." Maya tells him.  
"Put 'er there, partner!" Lucas says. Shaking Farkle's hand.  
"Our new company will be called: Farkle. Your names are no longer part of the company." Farkle says.  
"Why not?"  
"'What's the first thing that happens after a merger, daddy?'" Farkle says, pretending to be Riley.  
"What's the first thing that happens after a merger, daddy?" Riley asks.  
"Downsizing. When two companies come together, employees become vulnerable." Mr. Matthews says.  
"Don't tell him!" Riley protests.  
"Uh, Riley, I think he already knows." Mr Mathews says, gesturing over to Farkle who was sitting at the desk with his feet up.  
"Lucas, fire half the company. Start with Riley and Maya." Farkle says. They keep talking until Lucas goes over to Maya and Riley.  
"Riley?" Lucas asks.  
"Yeah?" She asks, with a big smile.  
"You're fired." Lucas says. Riley's smile vanishes within seconds.  
"Fine." Riley says, leaving the room.  
"Hey, if she goes, I go." Maya says, also leaving the room.  
"Friendship and loyalty are for the weak." Farkle says, standing up. I stand up and punch him in the gut. I didn't punch too hard, just hard enough for it to hurt.  
"Don't mess with my friends." I tell Farkle. 

A lot later that day, I look for Riley and Maya and find that they're in the subway.  
I see them in a bench and sit down.  
"Well, look who's still here." Evelyn says, coming over to our group. "My dollies. Been looking at people, huh?"  
"Hey, hat. You're a sight for sore eyes." Maya says.  
"How'd your meeting go?" Riley asks.  
"Oh, the usual. Yelled at everybody. You know, ra ra fa. Had em all running around scared of me." Evelyn says.  
"Sounds like fun." I tell her.  
"Its more fun when I come down here from my big, tall building." Evelyn tells us.  
"Oh, your building?" Riley asks.  
"It was named after me." She replies.  
"The crazy hat building?" Maya asks.  
"I sit here lookin' at all the people because it turns out, other people are the key to your own happiness. I watch 'em enough and I start thinkin' about what I can do for them." Evelyn says.  
"What can you do for them?" I ask.  
"Now you've been lookin' at all these people, now what do you see?" Evelyn asks.  
"I see a bunch of wet people who could probably use some real umbrellas." Riley says.  
"Yeah, not the no-good kind some Farkle sells on the street just to make some cash, cabbage, cheddah-cheese." Maya says.  
"Huh. You saw all that just by lookin' a little. What's a Farkle?" Evelyn asks. "Did you know that people won't protect themselves from the storm, but they'll make sure their morning doughnut stays dry?" Riley puts in.  
"Interesting observation. Now what are you gonna tell your class about it?" Evelyn asks. 

Maya and Riley start their presentation the next day.  
"It's been raining for six days. Here's what's real: People are wet and cold out there. They need something to keep them safe from the storm, and we know how to give it to them." Riley says.  
"What if every single subway stop in New York City was stocked with donated umbrellas?" Maya asks.  
"The Matthews and Hart umbrella foundation. It's non-profit." Riley says, mostly to Farkle.  
"What?!" Farkle yells.  
"When you come into the subway station you leave an umbrella in the stand... and when you leave the next station, there'll be one waiting for you." Riley says.  
"The Matthews and Hart umbrella foundation. We got you covered." Maya says.  
"There's no money in umbrellas. No, only people." Riley says.  
"My company makes a profit." Farkle says.  
"Yeah, but at what cost? Look at your customers." Riley tells him.  
"How could something that tastes so good make me feel so bad?" A girl asks.  
"What goes up must come down, Farkle. At least I was up."  
"What do you have besides an idea?" Farkle asks.  
"They've got an investor!" Evelyn says, coming through the door to the classroom.  
"Oh no. She followed us." Maya and Riley say.  
"Evelyn rand." Mr. Matthews says.  
"You know crazy hat?" Maya asks.  
"I know she's the chairman of the board of rand industries. You guys walk by her building on the way to school." Mr. Matthews says.  
"She really has a building...." Maya asks, as I start zoning out. I only zone out for a little though. I had to see what Farkle was gonna say.  
"Now, which one is the Farkle?" Evelyn asks, turning to face the rest of the class.  
Farkle, raises his hand.  
"Stop it!" Evelyn yells at him. "Now, this is 1 dollar, Farkle. Somebody came by it by doing hard work. Not by pumping people up with something you knew would let them down. Don't keep the dollar, it won't fix you if you keep it. Pass it on. That's what changes you, Farkle. Take it from me." Evelyn says. Then her and Farkle start speaking Dutch. "And you three," Evelyn says, gesturing towards Maya, Riley and I. "Don't worry so much about your future."  
"Really?" Riley asks.  
"Really." Evelyn says. "You two dollies, you're going to be key fine. Now, here's your first umbrella." Evelyn says, giving us her umbrella.  
"Nice work, dad. You really think you can make a difference in these kid' lives?" Evelyn questions.  
"Yes, I do. I'm their teacher." Mr. Matthews replies.  
"Good for you." Evelyn says, leaving the room.  
"Joey, report." Mr. Matthews says.  
"Darn! I thought you forgot about that! Anyways, I learned that people make way to big of a deal about muffins. Also, I learned that it seems like businesses destroy friendships, unless you're with the right people." I tell him.  
"Very interesting observation, Joey. Good job." Mr. Matthews says. Lucas stands up and tries to be in Riley and Maya's group, but they quickly fire him.  
"That's my girl." I say, running out the door after them. 

Later, we sit in the subway and watch people use the umbrella system.  
"We're gonna be just fine, guys." I tell them with a smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Merry Christmas Everyone!!**


	8. Girl Meets World of Terror--1

Jo's POV 

"No no no no no no no!" Farkle yells, holding onto a desk as Mr. Matthews tries to pull him off.  
"Let's go, Farkle. It's only gym class." Mr. Matthews tells him.  
"They throw things at me!" Farkle shouts.  
"Who?" Mr. Matthews asks.  
"Maya!" Farkle says. Thunder rumbles outside.  
"I'm the pitcher." Maya explains.  
"They make me stand there in from of everybody." Farkle says.  
"He's the batter." Riley tells her father.  
"There's a guy behind me in a mask!" Farkle yells.  
"I think you mean girl, and I'm the catcher, sir." I tell Mr. Matthews.  
"And then somebody screams." Farkle says.  
"That the umpire." Mr. Matthews says.  
"No, that's me." Farkle says.  
"I'm still not gonna write you a not for gym class, Farkle. It's softball. What could possibly go wrong in softball?" Mr. Matthews says.  
Thunder rumbles as Farkle ends up on Mr. Matthews.  
"Get off." Mr. Matthews groans. 

"Batter up!" The umpire yells from behind me.  
"Jeez, dude. Would it kill you not to yell?" I ask him. He rolls his eyes at me.  
"It's raining outside." Farkle stares. "Why are we aging softball inside? We should be playing dodgeball- No, wait! What am I talking about? We should be square dancing. Yeah! We should be swinging out partner." Farkle tries to convince the gym teacher.  
"You should be swinging your bat, Farkle." The gym teacher says. "Get in there! What are you afraid of?"  
Farkle whispers something to him.  
"You're afraid of getting hit by the ball?" The teacher says. Farkle whispers another thing. "You're afraid of public humiliation?" The teacher says loudly again.  
"Quit your bellyaching. She throws straight as a rope." He tells Farkle. Maya throws a pitch to me and it's a perfect strike.  
Thunder rumbles again.  
"Check, check, check her out, check our little pitcher out!" Riley sings.  
Riley, Maya and Lucas talk while I try to help Farkle out.  
"Farkle, come here." I call him over to me. "When you're up at bay, look Maya straight in the eyes, make her know that you're not afraid and that you can do anything." I tell him.  
"Thanks, Jo." Farkle says with a smile.  
"Why do I have to be up?" Farkle asks the teacher.  
"Why does anybody have to be up, Farkle? Why does anybody have to be anything? Why do I have to be a gym teacher? I could have been a ballerina!" The teacher says. He then does this weird singing thing. "Don't work, does it? You know why? Cause I'm a gym teacher, and you're up!"  
I look at Farkle and point to my eyes, he gets the hint, hopefully, and nods.  
Farkle steps into the batters box and Maya throws a pitch. Before she throws, Farkle does some weird move and grunts, making Maya's pitch be a ball and not a strike.  
"Wait, can he do that?" Maya asks the gym teacher.  
"I can! Jo said I could." Farkle says. Maya shoots a look that could kill at me.  
"Hey! That's not what I told him to do." I say. "I told him to believe in himself, not do.....whatever that was."  
"Ball one!" Coach says. Maya pitches another and Farkle does the weird move again. "Ball two!"  
"He's rattling my pitcher, coach." Lucas says. "He's doing it on purpose. He's an evil genius mastermind."  
"Yeah?" Coach asks Lucas. "I don't think he is."  
Thunder rumbles again outside and the power goes out.  
"Aww, too bad. Darn. Heck. See you in science suckas. And let me tell you something, Maya, you ain't all that. I would've hit the next one right out of the pa...." Farkle doesn't get to finish his sentence because the power comes back on. "You look pretty." He tells Maya.  
"Idiot." I mumble.  
"Get in the box, Farkle." Coach says.  
"Time out." Lucas says. He goes over to Maya and they talk. It kinda looks like he's pulling her from the game.  
"Maya, Maya, say goodbye-a." Riley sings.  
"Farkle! Get over here." I call to him. "Hit the ball." I whine once he's near me.  
"Jo, why do you want me to hit the ball so bad? I'm not even on your team." Farkle says.  
"You're right. You're not on my team. So forget about teams. You're my friend. I want my friend to get over his fears and be successful." I tell him. He gives me a hug and we turn to see Lucas at the pitcher's mound.  
"Okay, Lucas, nice and slow, okay?" Farkle says.  
"Yeah, how's this for slow." Lucas pitches the ball and it hits Farkle, making him fall to the ground.  
"You did that on purpose." Farkle says. Lucas and Farkle talk.  
"You got hit. Get to take your bags, Farkle." Coach tells him after Lucas and Farkle are done talking.  
"Don't want it, coach." Farkle says, standing back into the batter's box. "You. Bring it." He points to Maya.  
"Farkle, Farkle, gonna sparkle." Riley sings. Maya pitches the ball and Farkle hits it. We all cheer for him. 

Later in the hallway, Maya, Riley, and I were talking about plans for tonight.  
"So, Halloween sleepover at my house to do candy trades?" Riley asks the two of us.  
"Yeah." I say.  
"Except." Maya cuts in. "Why don't we do it at my house?" Riley looks terrified at this thought. Thunder crashes, Coach comes in looking like a ballerina and someone screams.  
"Okay then..." I say.  
"Yeah, why don't we sleep at Maya's this year?" I ask Riley.  
"Because we've already agreed to have it in my room every single year forever." Rileyy explains.  
"Why are you so afraid to sleep over at my house?" Maya asks.  
"I'm not." Riley says.  
"You've never made it through a whole night there." Maya says. Mr. Matthews passes by and Riley pulls him into the conversation.  
"Tell them that I've made it through a night at Maya's house before, Dad." Riley begs.  
"I can't, honey. I'm the one that has to get up in the middle of the night and get you when you secretly call me." Mr. Matthews tells his daughter.  
"I wake up every morning and you're not there. It makes me feel bad." Maya tells Riley.  
"I would never make you feel bad." Riley says.  
"Then I want you to spend one night...all night.....tonight." Maya says all dramatically.  
"Riley, get over this fear." Mr. Matthews tells her.  
"Because you want me to grow out of this?" Risky asks.  
"Because I want to sleep." Mr. Matthews tells his daughter.  
"Could you at least drive me there?" Riley asks her father.  
"To Maya's house of horror?" Mr. Matthews asks. Thunder rumbles and the lights flicker. Mr. Matthews is no where in sight.  
"Funny, Dad. Dad?" Riley worries.  
"Let's go." Maya says.  
"Thanks, Mr. Matthews, that boosted her confidence a lot." I sarcastically tell him from outside his classroom. He gives me a thumbs up. 

The walk to our building wasn't bad. Riley kept worrying about sleeping over, so pretty much what happened in school.  
We get to the front of the building and Maya stops at the door.  
"Why'd we stop." Riley asks getting worried. Well, even more worried than she already was.  
"Because, we gotta work out a few plans with Jo. So, are you going to go to your room then come to mine?" Maya asks me.  
"Yeah, I'll come to your room in like 10 minutes." I tell Maya. "See ya soon, Riley." I wave to her.  
I go up the fire escape and into my room. Walking around I find the same not on the fridge and just pass by it. My stuff is already at Maya's hose from sleeping there last night, so I just get a shower and climb to her room where I see Farkle and Lucas in weird masks.  
"Hey, Jo." Lucas says.  
"Hey, what are you guys doing?" I ask them.  
"We were hoping to trick or treat at Maya's house, but the lights are all off." Farkle says.  
"Oh." I say. Then we hear screaming inside.  
"Ladies." Farkle says.  
"Farkle!" Maya and Riley say at the same time.  
"Trick or treat!" Lucas says.  
"Why are you screaming? You scared us." Farkle says.  
"What are you guys doing here?" Riley asks them.  
"We were passing by on our way home. We though we'd say hi." Farkle says.  
"In the middle of the night?" Riley questions, even though it was not the middle of the night. What has Maya been up to?  
"It's quarter after 7:00." Lucas says.  
"Then why'd you have me go to sleep, Maya?" Riley asks her.  
"Trying to put myself out of my misery." Maya says.  
"What are you scared of Riley? It's great out here." Lucas says.  
"Yeah, there's nothing to be scared of." I tell her.  
Maya's grandmother comes in and I sneak backwards a little, I don't really think she likes me.  
Anyways....  
Lucas and Farkle were talking about how to attract ladies.  
"Bye guys." They say.  
"See ya." I reply. I sit back in front of the window on the fire escape while Maya and Riley talk about Maya's neighborhood.  
Maya and Riley come to the window and look out. I lean my back against the wall of the building and we just watch everything.  
"It's actually kind of pretty. I never noticed that before." Maya says. I mess with my ripped stockings under jeans shorts as they talk. If you didn't already know, my outfits are like Maya's, but she has more clothes. I gotta keep reusing a lot.  
Anyways...  
"Yeah, I like your house, Maya." Riley tells her.  
"Thank you, Riley. That makes me happy." Maya says.  
"Good." Riley says.  
"So, you wanna go to sleep now?" Maya asks Riley.  
"In a little bit. You mind if we stay up for awhile?" Riley asks.  
"Why? Are you still scared?" I ask her.  
"Not anymore. I just wanna see what happens next." Riley tells us.  
We all smile and just look outside for awhile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Hope everyone had a nice Christmas/Holiday. Next episode will be Girl Meets The Forgotten--December 30.**


	9. Girl Meets The Forgotten

Jo's POV 

I go through the bay window and see that Riley's not there.   
"Weird." I say to myself.   
"Thank you, Thank you...." I hear someone say from the other room while people clap. I walk into the other room to hear people talking about jobs.   
"You know, when I went to law school, I held down two part-time jobs." Mrs. Matthews tells Riley and Maya.   
"Yeah, but now your life is a piece of cake." Riley tells her mom.   
"Would you make us cake?" Maya asks Mrs. Matthews.   
"Get to school." Mrs. Matthews snaps.   
"You'll be here making cake?" Maya asks.   
"Hey, Riley, can you put your dishes in the dishwasher?" Mrs. Matthews asks her daughter.   
"Later mom. I promise. Job and school. Job and school." Riley says.   
"Uh, could you at least put them on the...." Mrs. Matthews tries, but Riley slams the door.   
"Wow." I say. Mrs. Matthews turns to see me in the doorway and sighs.   
"Hey, Joey." She says.   
"Hey. You know, I could help you with the dishes if you want." I offer.   
"No, its fine. I want Riley to do it." Mrs. Matthews replies.  
"Yes, ma'am." I say. I run out the door to try and catch up with Riley and Maya. 

"Who here knows about the great depression?" Mr. Matthews ask.   
"I thought it was called the Grand Canyon?" I ask, severely confused about what he was talking about.   
Excellent." Mr. Matthews sarcastically says. "Who here knows about the great depression? Maya?" He tries again.   
"Nothing's gonna beat that, sir." Maya says.   
"Farkle, save me." Mr. Matthews says.   
"The year was 1929, the stock market crashed, everyone lost their money and their jobs. And the people who were comfortable were now lost and became known as..." Farkle replies, pointing to the board.   
"'The forgotten." Working class people, the heart and soul of our country, basically taken for granted in the first place, and now, discarded and forgotten." Mr. Matthews says.   
"How could that happen, sir?" Lucas asks.   
"It shouldn't have, Mr. Friar." Mr. Matthews says.   
"But that could never happen to anyone in the grand canyon today," I start and Riley finishes for me.   
"Could it?"   
"I don't know, Riley, Joey. I'm sure you would never take anyone for granted, right?" Mr. Matthews asks.   
"I would never." Riley says. I look at her in disbelief.   
"And do you think there's anyone who cares about you who goes underappreciated or overlooked?" Mr. Matthews says.   
"Maya, my life is so much better for having you in it." Riley says.  
"I know, pumpkin." Maya says.   
"What am I, chopped liver?!" I question the two.   
"I guess you too, Joey." Riley says.   
"Gee thanks." I sarcastically say.   
"For the first time, I've actually understood something that you've tried to teach me." Riley says.   
"Please, bell, ring." Mr. Matthews says and when the bell doesn't ring, he yells, "Ring! Ah-ha." And the he runs out of the room.   
"You could do that?!" I shout after he had left. 

I was in the lunch line with Riley and Maya, who were talking about electives.   
"Yum, blob." Riley says as Ms. Thompson throws food on her plate.   
"All right, no blob for me, please. Not because it's not good, only because there's no taste and no flavor. Okay." Maya says and then she is also served "blob".  
"You know I made that myself." Ms. Thompson says.   
"What is it?" Riley asks.   
"I call it, 'Tuesday."' Ms. Thompson tells us.   
"But it's Thursday." Maya says.   
"Mm-hmm. No throwing rolls!" Ms. Thompson yells at some kids. She then puts food on my plate.   
"Thanks a lot, Ms. Thompson." I tell her sincerely. I'll admit, the food is terrible, but I do need to eat. Mrs. Matthews can only supply me so much before I feel like I'm bothering her.   
"You're welcome, sweetheart." Ms. Thompson says, making me smile. "Have a nice day!" I call as I walk away from the line to join my friends who are creating a mountain of food.   
"Wow." Is all I can say. I sit at the table with Riley and Maya and eat my "blob" while watching Farkle and Lucas.   
"Do you guys ever actually eat the food?" Mr. Matthews asks as he walks by.  
"No." Everyone but me replies.   
"Hey, how do you guys actually make this thing erupt?" Maya asks.   
"Maya, don't! She's gonna blow!" Farkle yells.   
"Why do they build their villages so close? Why?" Riley cries for the food. The bell rings and I throw my stuff out. We were all gonna walk out the lunch door when Mr. Matthews stops us.   
"Hey, hey, hey. Where are you guys going? What's the rush? Geralyn, janitor Harley, can you come over here for a minute?" Mr. Matthews says, calling them over. "So, you guys don't think you should have to clean any of this up? Geralyn, do you think they realize when they waste their food like this it makes you feel bad?" Mr. Matthews asks, trying to prove a point.   
"I feel bad." Ms. Thompson says, completely monotoned.   
"And janitor Harley, do you think they realize when they make a mess in the cafeteria, it makes you feel bad?" Mr. Matthews asks.   
"I actually feel I deserve what I get. But I have all kinds of different issues." Janitor Harley says.   
"You know, in just a few minutes, you guys played with your food and you left a mess without any regard or respect for anyone else." Mr. Matthews tells us.   
"It's not just us." Riley says.   
"I know. And you're the good ones. I'm gonna go ahead and assign you your electives now." Mr. Matthews says. "Girls, your electives will be, and I don't think anyone say this one coming..."   
"Oh no." Riley and Maya say.   
"Cafeteria duty." Mr. Matthews finishes.   
"Wait." I stop Mr. Matthews.   
"What now, Joey?" Mr. Matthews asks me, slightly annoyed.   
"With all do respect, sir, I eat the food. And as much as I love working with Geralyn in the kitchen, do you think I could go with the boys instead?" I ask him.   
"I guess." He replies with an evil-like smile on his face.   
"Cafeteria duty. That's the worst elective in the school besides janitorial services. Oh." Lucas says. His face drops as he realizes that we have janitorial services.   
"How you doin', boys, and girl, I own? Meet Mr. Mop. And his two pals, Mr. Bucket and Mr. Broom." Janitors Harley says.   
"How come there are no girls in your cleaning supplies?" I ask him.   
"I have greatly missed your smart and sarcastic comments after school, Ladybug." Janitor Harley says, using the nickname that he gave me that I love so much.   
"And I have missed working with you after school." I tell him, giving him a hug.   
"Anyways. First, you'll clean Mr. Mess in the cafeteria. Then, I'll introduce you to the always delightful, Mr. Vomit." Janitor Harley says.   
"Thank you, but I have enough friends." Farkle says, earning a few laughs from the group. 

"I don't understand any of this." Farkle says as we stop in the hallway to talk.   
"Yeah, I never think of these hallways as being anything but clean." Lucas says. Then, janitor Harley says stuff about being a ninja and vomit and that kind of stuff.   
"Well, each student has a stomach about yay big," Harley says, putting his hands about a half a foot apart. "Yet they think they can eat, yay much." He holds his hands a bigger distance. "Unless we're talking about little Ladybug over here. She has a tiny stomach and can eat about yay much." He says, putting his hands really close together. Then, we hear vomiting.   
"Ewww." I complain.   
"Alvin Bergis." Harley says.   
"You can actually tell who that is?" Lucas asks.   
"I know all of you." Harley says. "Alvin's a seventh grader. He as a speech in English today. He seems...." We hear more vomiting. "Unprepared. I got this." Harvey says, picking up the bucket and mop.   
"Does that happen a lot?" I ask him.   
"Happens all the time. It's my job." Harley says. 

I had stayed a little later after school to talk to a few teachers about stuff. I walk to Riley's house and see Mrs. Matthews getting out of her car struggling with some bags.  
"Need some help, Mrs. Matthews?" I ask her, going over and taking a bag out of her hands.   
"Thanks so much, Joey." Mrs. Matthews says. "Let's go inside." She says, grabbing another bag from her car.   
We walk into the house to see Riley and Maya just sitting on the couch, looking like they're dead.  
I take the bag of food over to the kitchen ans start to put things away as Riley and Maya talk about the hard job they had to do.   
"Girls, could you please help me bring in the rest of the of the groceries?" Mrs. Matthews asks the two. "Other people had a hard day, too."   
"Yeah, Farkle, Lucas and Joey had to clean. 45 minutes. In a row." Riley and Maya say.   
"Poor, poor kids. I'll just go and get the rest of the groceries by myself." Mrs. Matthews says.   
"Wow. Maya, you know that lesson about 'The Forgotten' this morning?" Riley asks.   
"Yeah." Maya says.   
"It's us." Riley tells her. They both lay down on the couch again.   
"Really?!" I ask them. I run out the door and down the steps to go and help Mrs. Matthews again. 

We walk into the cafeteria after another day of being janitors and see that Riley and Maya look like they've been in a food fight.   
"You guys are a mess!" Farkle says while laughing. I look down at our clothes.   
"We're not any better, though." I tell him.   
"We got the school so clean yesterday. Today was the easiest day ever." Lucas says.   
"And janitor Harley and I agreed that this was the least pukey we've ever seen." I tell them.   
"Wait a minute, boys and girl." Janitor Harley says.   
"What's the matter?" Lucas asks.   
"There's a storm a-brewin'." Harley says.   
"What kind of storm?" I ask. We hear a lot of vomiting in the hallways.   
"We're too late!" Harley screams."Save yourselves!" Harley says, closing the kitchen window thing.   
"Ahhhhh!" The four of us scream as we run to the hall to clean everything up.   
"In1929, our country fell apart." Riley starts her presentation. "Not only because the economy suffered, but because we neglected the working class people who served us with pride and dignity. And because we never cared enough to get to know them, they were easily taken for granted and became 'The Forgotten.'" Riley walks over to Ms. Thompson. "Can anybody tell us who this is?"   
"The lunchroom lady." Sara says.   
"I think she has a name." Mr. Matthews says.   
"I do, Three Taco Sara." Ms. Thompson says.   
"This is Geralyn Thompson. And she knows all of your names. She's worked at this school for 20 years, and I can tell you that her job is not easy. Because she has over 1,000 children and when you feed 1,000 children, you have to make sure it's something that everybody can eat." Riley says.   
"And even if she would like to spice things up a bit, she knows not to. Because it's what's right for everyone." Maya says.   
"She takes pride in her work, her kitchen, her cooking, and us. And I'm proud that I was able to stand in her shoes for a day. This lady right here does it everyday..." Riley starts.   
"For us." Maya finishes.   
"Geralyn. Remember that name." Riley says.   
"Whatever we end up doing in life, we have to do it with the same pride and enthusiasm as her." Maya says.   
"Boys." Mr. Matthews says and I give him a look. "And girl." He corrects himself.   
"We've seen things." Farkle says, rocking on the desk with crazy eyes.   
"You don't know, man. You weren't there." Lucas shouts with the same crazy eyes as Farkle.   
"They went in as boys, they came out as.....I don't know. I don't know what they are now." Janitor Harley says, then he looks over at me. "I guess little Ladybug was able to keep her sanity." I smile at him.   
"We'd be lying to you if we told you janitorial services was our first pick. But I wouldn't trade this experience for a trip to the moon." Lucas starts our presentation.   
"That was an elective?!" Farkle and I ask at the same time.   
"Janitor Harley is a good man, and friend." I say, smiling at him.   
"You have no idea what he goes through for you. You may not even notice that he's there. But I promise you this, you would notice if he wasn't there." Farkle says.   
"The clean tables, the immaculate classrooms, the shiny floors; they don't magically happen. They take a ninja." Lucas says.   
"Ninja." Janitor Harley says.   
"People who go through things for you, people who pour their heart and souls into their jobs because they care should be valued and embraced. You should look them in the eye and say 'thank you'." Mr. Matthews says to the class.   
"Thank you." Riley and Maya say to Ms. Thompson.   
"Thank you." Farkle, Lucas and I say to janitor Harley. I walk over and give him a hug. 

The next day, we're in the lunch line and Riley and Maya stop to talk to Ms. Thompson.   
"Looks like you got more people to talk to, Ms. Thompson." I tel her, walking over and getting my food.   
"Yup, and I love it." Ms. Thompson says. "Have a nice day, sweetheart." She says with a smile. I wave to her and see Lucas telling some kid to throw his trash out.   
Mr. Matthews starts talking about random stuff and everyone leaves 

Later that day, I was writing a letter.   
To my father.   
DEAR DAD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LEAVING US, IT SHOWED JUST HOW STRONG I REALLY AM.   
Now, I wrote that to my father, I write a lot to my father, I just never send anything to him.   
I'm way too scared.   
I'm strong.   
Not fearless.   
But I'm trying.


	10. Girl Meets Flaws

Jo's POV 

"Graduation and awards night is coming up." Mr. Matthews started the class.  
"Yay....." I flatly say. Mr. Matthews continues talking and then Maya yells out.  
"Awards are a scam! A girl like me never had a chance, Matthews. Never had a chance." Maya says. She looks over at Riley in a pleading way.  
"All right, I'll do it, but it's ridiculous." Riley stands up. " it's a scam, Matthews! She never had a chance!" Riley says. Then her and Maya look at me.  
"Not doin' it." I tell them.  
"Maya will be receiving the Griff Hawkins totally cool award." Mr. Matthews says. Everyone claps and Maya sits down without saying anything.  
"Maya, you just found out you won the totally cool award, yet you just sit there?" Riley asks. Maya looks at her. "Oh, you're being cool. Why won't you rub off on me?"  
"And our three finalists for the scholar athlete award are...Lucas Friar....Billy Ross....and Jo Edwards." Mr. Matthews says. Everyone claps for us.  
"Wait, Joey plays sports?" Riley asks.  
"Only since I was two!" I tell her. So unbelievable. "Softball, dance and gymnastics." I tell Riley.  
"Oh, that's why you have those sick muscles." Maya says. I don't really like people taking about my muscles, so I try to change the subject.  
"I hope you boys are ready for some competition." I tell them, turning around in my seat.  
"Hope you're ready too, dudette." Lucas says.  
"Oh, well you know how we hate competition." Billy says, looking over at Lucas and laughing.  
"Hey golden boys, you wanna hop down from your cloud of awesomeness?" Maya asks the two.  
"You're making us normals feel bad." I tell them. The boys do this weird handshake and we laugh at them. Then, Riley and Maya do their own handshake and I laugh at them.  
"Farkle, you are being awarded the Joseph T.R. Epstein confidence award. Congratulations...." Mr. Matthews looks around the room. "Farkle? Where's Farkle?"  
"In a ditch.....far far away...." I say evilly, rubbing my hands together. Everyone looks at me with concerned faces. "You really believed that?" I ask them.  
"Farkle?" Mr. Matthews asks again.  
"Farkle can't come to his desk right now. If you have a question for Farkle, say, "one;" a comment, say, "two;" billing questions, "three."" Farkle says through a microphone sorta thing.  
"One. Where are you!" Mr. Matthews asks.  
"You have selected three." Farkle' voice says.  
"No. I said one." Mr. Matthews protests.  
"Sorry, we are experiencing unusually high call volume. Your call will be answered in approximately.....35....minutes." Farkle' voice says again through the microphone.  
The bell rings and everyone leaves, except for Maya, Riley and I. I try to sneak to the door, knowing they're gonna try and drag me into something, but Riley catches me.  
"Joey!" Riley shouts before I can get out the door.  
"Ugh." I groan as I walk over to her and completely zone out. I start to pay attention again when I hear Farkle's voice.  
"Sometimes you want to be invisible, Riley, believe me." 

In the hallway, Riley told us all to split up and look for Farkle. I didn't know where the rest of the group went, but I knew where I was going.  
I swing open the door to the janitor's closet.  
"Harley, I-" I start, but I stop as soon as I see Farkle. "Farkle!" I say with a smile.  
"Why are you here, Jo?" Farkle asks, still a little stunned.  
"I always talk to Harley when I have a problem." I tell him. "What are you doing here?" I ask him.  
"Farkle over here is hiding from another kid." Harley says.  
"Janitor Harley!" Farkle hisses.  
"Farkle, someone bothering you?" I ask him.  
"Yea. Someone's making fun of me...." Farkle says looking down.  
"I'm gonna mess whoever that guy is up!" I say. I start to walk out of the room, but Farkle stops me with his arm.  
"Please don't-" Farkle can't finish because we hear voices outside.  
"I've had enough of this." Harley says. He opens the door and pushes us through. "Young lad, and ladybug, I now release you to the hands of your caring friends, cause they...have time for this." Harley says, kinda annoyed with us.  
"You wanna tell us what's going on here, buddy?" Lucas asks Farkle.  
"Are you my buddy?" Farkle asks.  
"What?" Lucas questions.  
"Spill it, Farkle." Maya demands.  
"Somebody made fun of my turtlenecks." Farkle says.  
"Your turtlenecks?" Riley asks him.  
"Yeah, somebody said they make me weird." Farkle says.  
"You are weird." Maya and I say at the same time. Freaky!!  
"They don't mean that." Riley says.  
"Sure we do. He knows he's weird. He embraces it." Maya says.  
"That's what makes you unique." I tell him, pulling him into a side hug.  
"What good is being unique if somebody knows you're really not?" Farkle asks. He then walks away. 

Later that night, I climb in through Riley's window. She wasn't in there. Weird.  
I walk through the house and see Mr. and Mrs. Matthews talking on the couch.  
"Joey!" Mr. Matthews shouts.  
"Sorry." I say, coming through the doorway to the living room. "I was looking for Riley." I tell them.  
"She went to Maya's house to spend the night." Mrs. Matthews tells me.  
"Okay then." I say. Ugh. Now I gotta walk all the way back across town to our apartment building. Lazy people problems.  
Just then, a little blonde haired girl comes in the room and sings. I look up from the floor to see Ava.  
"Jo!" Ava says, coming over and hugging me.  
"Hey, blondie." I say, messing with her hair.  
"How do you two know each other?" Mrs. Matthews asks me.  
"Babysitter. For a long time." I tell her.  
"Can you take her?" Mr. Matthews asks in a leading way.  
"Wish I could, but I gotta get over to Maya's." I tell them. I hug Ava again and leave through the window again. Now time to walk. 

"Wait?! Who did what?!" I asked for the millionth time that class time. We had just had a discussion about Ireland, baseball, freedom, school, and I don't know how they all tie in to each other. "Too many words!" I yell, holding my ears and banging my head on the desk.  
"Joey, calm down." Mr. Matthews says.  
"May I be excused. I feel like my head is gonna explode." I tell him. He nods and I leave the classroom going to the janitor's closet. I see Farkle there.  
"Farkle! No one treats you like this. Give me a name and I will mess him up!" I yell, fuming with anger.  
"I don't want you to mess him up...." Farkle says.  
"Too late. One of my friends feel bad, he messed with the wrong person." I say. I leave the room, still super angry. I'm gonna find the guy whose hurting Farkle. 

"Joey!" Maya, Riley, and Lucas all ran up to me. I was still really mad about yesterday.  
"What?" I angrily ask them.  
"What are you gonna do?" Riley asks me as we were on our way to gym class.  
"I'm gonna find the guy whose hurting Farkle. And he's gonna be sorry he ever did." I say. I start walking faster with my hands in fists when Lucas picks me up off the ground.  
"Am I there yet " I sarcastically ask.  
"Yea, I've been there." Maya says.  
"You need to calm down." Lucas says. I'll admit, I can get really angry and hot headed sometimes. Actually, most times. But I always find a way to cool down. I don't know if I can cool down as easily from this one. I squirm away from Lucas' grasp. We were right outside the janitor's closet and Mr. Matthews' classroom.  
"And if I don't?" I question, crossing my arms over my chest. The three looked at each other and shoved me into the closet. They did something to jam the door so I couldn't get out. I start yelling.  
"It's for your own good!" Maya calls to me. I can tell they're walking away. I sit down, defeated, but determined. They chose the wrong day to mess with me. 

I sit in the closet for what felt like hours. Then, I actually realized that it was for hours and the others had forgotten about me.  
I finally decide to do something about my situation and look up to see an air vent. I reach up and pull my body up.  
"Thank goodness for gymnastics." I mutter. Through the vent system I navigate my way to my classes and the room I plan to drop down on is history.  
"Riley made us write on our heads!" Someone from inside the room shouts.  
The conversation goes on for a while and I unscrew the vent.  
I push my legs through, drop onto the ground and do a shoulder roll onto the ground, quickly standing up and brushing myself off.  
Everyone looks at me stunned.  
"Joey, why don't you have anything written only your head?" Mr. Matthews asks me.  
"Really?! I just dropped out of the vent, 20 feet up, and you're scolding me for not being in on...on whatever this is?!" I ask him In a loud voice and pointing around the room.  
"Joey, we-" I cut Lucas off.  
"Forgot about me. Yea." I say wiping the dust and dirt from my face.  
"I shouldn't make fun of him?" Billy asks, acting like I didn't just fall from the ceiling.  
"You're the one messing with Farkle?!" I yell. I run towards him and jump but Lucas intercepts and grabs me. He throws me over his shoulder like I'm a sack of potatoes. 

I was able to cool down later on for the award ceremony that night. I won't go into too much detail, but if you want to know, I beat Lucas and Billy for the athlete award. 

Anyways, I was walking home with Maya.  
"Hey, Joey?" Maya asks.  
"Yea?"  
"Why were you so mad when Farkle was getting picked on?" Maya asks me.  
"Because no one messes with my friends." I tell her. She looks at me and smiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Sorry this chapter is so late. I'm gonna start posting on Tuesdays and Fridays so I have time to write the chapters and make it through school.**


	11. Girl Meets Brother

Jo's POV 

"Well, another year and we're not going to be cheerleaders." Maya states as we walk into the subway station.  
"Another year and you guys aren't on the team with me..." I sadly say, looking down at my feet. I'm on the team because I'm so light that I am a flyer and because of my gymnastics skills. I'm not like some of those snobby rude cheerleaders, I'm nice. I may not be the brightest, but I'm not dumb like the cheerleaders you see in movies.  
"Why do you make me do these things? Pom-poms are stupid and pyramids made of humans freak me out. And what are these?" Maya asks, pointing down.  
"Those are your legs." Riley says.  
"Have you ever seen anything so white?" Maya asks.  
"One time when I looked into the sun." Riley tells her.  
"These need to be put away. And you," Maya looks at me. "What do you call those, Riley?" Maya asks, pointing at my legs.  
"I would call those legs as well." Riley says.  
"No. Those are not legs. They are twigs." Maya says. I look down, kinda embarrassed of how skinny I was.  
"We have to go to demolition right now and get clothes." Maya says.  
"Yeah, because pretty soon, they're gonna know you guys took those." I tell them, pointing at the cheerleading uniforms.  
"But my curfew's in 15 minutes." Riley protests.  
"Why?" I ask.  
"But they're having a sale. Vintage t-shirts." Maya says, trying to persuade Riley.  
"Ooh, I do love t-shirts that other people have already loved." Riley says.  
"Cool, then let's go." I say, walking past them, I just want to get moving already. Maya sticks out her foot to trip me and I fall on the ground and groan. "Ugh. You know, these 'twigs' are very fragile." I say, referring to my legs.  
Riley and Maya continue to talk about going to Demolition and I stay in the floor. Way too lazy to get up.  
"Let's do this!" Riley yells.  
"Great! See you Wednesday!" Maya shouts back. She bends down and helps me off the ground.  
"Thanks." I say. She smiles at me and I walk ahead of her, putting my foot out to trip her like she did me. She laughs and I help her up so we can go and join Riley. 

"I'm late, I'm late, I know I'm late!" Riley exclaims as we walk through the door to the Matthews apartment.  
"Seven minutes." Mr. Matthews says. I join Auggie on the couch and we watch Maya try to pull Riley past her parents.  
"Deal with your bad girl." Riley says.  
"Okay. Where were you?" Mrs. Matthews asks her daughter, not really caring for the answer.  
"Demolition. It's an alternative store. Where rebels go." Riley explains in a weird voice. She then shows her parents the "Bleh" t-shirt she had bought at the store.  
"Edgy." Mrs. Matthews says.  
"Uh, Riley, what's going on?" Mr. Matthews asks.  
"I am too old for a 7:00 curfew. I reject it! Reject it! Reject it! Won't even respect it!" Riley says with her pom-poms.  
"Didn't make the team again, huh?" Mr. Matthews asks  
"No!" Riley says, very enthusiastically.  
"Every year. What about you, Joey?" Mr. Matthews asks me. I nod my head, putting my arm around Auggie and he smiles.  
"Okay, look, Riley, your father and I gave you a 7:00 curfew because we knew that even when you got all rebellious you'd still be home by 7:30." Mrs. Matthews says.  
"What?" Riley asks in an angryish voice.  
Mrs. And Mr. Matthews start talking about how "dangerous" she is and they can't stop laughing.  
"I'm outta control!" Riley yells and they start laughing again.  
"Maya, you couldn't keep her out any later that that? I mean, what kind of bad influence are you?" Mr. Matthews asks her.  
"You're right. I gotta up my game." Maya says. She walks around the room, taking stuff and leaving.  
"Wow." Is all I can say.  
"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Mr. Matthews exclaims.  
"Mommy, Daddy..." Auggie says in a sorta whiney voice. They look at him expectantly. "Why can't Joey be my babysitter for tonight. She babysits for Ava."  
"Awwwww. Auggie, that's so sweet. But I think we should give Riley a chance. Just this one night, okay?" I tell him, hinting to the parentals that they should give Riley the responsibility.  
"Okay...." Auggie says, kinda sad.  
"Auggie, if you still want me to be your babysitter after tonight, I will be." I whisper to him, pulling him into a hug. That should give the Matthews family some idea of where to start with the whole "responsibility" thing for Riley. I mean, I literally just told them what to do, but knowing them, it would probably take a while before they realize a solution.  
"Call me if there are any problems." I whisper to Auggie. He nods and I stand up. "Well, see ya Matthews family." I tell them, waving as I leave. 

Walking home was pretty boring, mostly because I was by myself and I NEED someone to talk to like every 5 seconds.  
Anyways, I get to the building and climb up to my bedroom window. Before going in, I look down and see Maya leaving the building and walking down the street.  
"Where's she going?" I mutter to myself.  
I jump through my window and I walk to the kitchen. The same old note is on the fridge and I don't even bother reading it.  
I look at the homework we have for today and start laughing. "Yea, like I'm gonna do that." I say.  
Walking over to the couch, I sit down and as soon as I take off my shoes, the phone rings.  
"Ugh! Lazy people problems." I say getting up and grabbing the phone.  
"Hello?" I say.  
"Joey! Come quick. I don't want Riley as my babysitter! Maya's here! They don't wanna play with me!" Auggie exclaims through the phone. The poor little guy, his voice sounds like he's about to break down in tears.  
"I'm coming right now, Auggie." I say, throwing the phone down and running out the door. I'd do anything for that little guy. 

Climbing up the fire escape, I decide to go to Auggie's window instead of Riley's.  
"Knock knock." I say, sitting outside right next to the window.  
"Joey!" Auggie exclaims, running over to me.  
"Hey little guy." I say, giving him a hug but still staying outside.  
"I don't know what to do! Maya's here and Riley doesn't want me. She wants to watch TV!" Auggie tells me.  
"Then why don't you take the remote." I suggest. He smiles a wicked smile and runs out of the room.  
Seconds later there is yelling from the living room, but I can hear Auggie and know that he won't back down.  
"So, we jump in now?" I hear Mr. Matthews ask from behind me and I scream in fear.  
"What are you doing here?" I whisper/yell at them.  
"Making sure no one kills each other." Mrs. Matthews says.  
"Doesn't sound like you're doing a good job...." I tell them, pointing inside the house.  
"This is the worst night ever!" Auggie yells, stomping in this room and angrily closing the door. "Joey..." Auggie whines.  
"Yea, we got company." I tell him, pointing behind me and  
"Hi, buddy." Mr. Matthews says.  
"Having fun?" Mrs. Mathews asks.  
"Are you home? Why are you not fixing this?" Auggie questions his parents. Cue zone out moment. And right back into the story!  
"But I'll make you a bet, you're gonna want her back." Mr. Matthews says.  
"Fine. You lose, you make me a brother." Auggie says.  
"Deal." Mr Matthews says.  
"I've had enough of this crazy." I say, climbing through the window and storming into the living room.  
"Joey!" Riley says. "You gotta help us. Auggie's being a brat." She tells me and Maya nods.  
"Riley, you don't get it, do you?" I say. She looks at me confused. "Auggie wants to spend time with you. He wants to be with you. I would love to have a little brother! You're just pushing away the greatest gift your parents ever gave you. Do you not realize that?!" I say, my voice growing a little louder. I leave the room, cue dramatic music. I go back out the window.  
"Love you, Augs. See you tomorrow." I tell him, jumping out the window.  
"Wait, where are you going?" He asks me.  
"I gotta go blow off some steam." I tell him. Waving a goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Matthews, I run all the way home, hoping that running will help me clear my mind. 

The next day I walk into the Matthews house and almost get trampled. Like full on TRAMPLED by some sort of stampede screaming "pancakes!".  
Before everyone could leave, I grab Auggie's arm and pull him back.  
"Hey, Aug. what's going on?" I ask him.  
"We want pancakes instead of eating a family of eggs that Riley told us about." He tells me as if it's obvious.  
"Well that made no sense whatsoever." I tell him. I turn to leave with the group when Auggie stops me.  
"Wait. Joey, thanks for last night. I heard what you said to Riley and Maya. And I wanted to know if you'd be my pretend sister." He tells me.  
"Awww, Augs. Of course. I've always wanted a little brother." I tell him, pulling him into a hug.  
"So, we're brother and sister now? You won't leave me for your friends? You'd play with me?" He asks.  
"Auggie, I'd do anything for you." I say. I put him on my back and we run with the rest of the group for pancakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Hope you like this chapter. Give me some feedback about what you think. I still don't know what I'm gonna do with Jo's mom yet, but next chapter will be up on Friday.**


	12. Girl Meets Home for the Holidays

Jo's POV

Getting dressed into something nice is hard for me. I mean, what do you want me to choose from: blue ripped jeans or black ripped jeans? Some people just expect too much.  
Riley had invited me over to her house for Christmas this year and I'm actually really excited.  
Anyways, I put on the best clothes that I have: my blue ripped jeans, purple hoodie and beat-up old blue sneakers that have been with me for like 4 years.  
I run out the door and to Riley's house. I was about to press the buzzer when I noticed a man was behind me. I didn't know who he was, so don't think I'm a horrible person for what happens next.  
He was standing right behind me, so I had no where to run and I was getting really scared. In one move, I elbowed him in the gut, turned around and brought him down to his knees, into a choke hold.  
"Who are you and why are you following me?" I ask him.  
"Relax." He croaks out. "I'm Cory's friend, Shawn. Shawn Hunter."  
"Mr. Matthews has friends?" I ask, very surprised.  
"Yea, and if you could let me out of your choke hold, we can go up and join the party." Shawn says. I release my choke hold on him and he stands up, gripping his stomach where I elbowed him.  
"I'm so sorry." I apologize.  
"Little one, it's okay. You were nervous. I get it." Shawn says. I nod and walk over to the buzzer. "Oh, I have a key, you don't need to buzz us in." He tells me.  
"Oh, okay." I say. We walk up the stairs together to join the party. 

Shawn sneaks in the room and I stay by the doorway, watching how the scene will play out.  
"Gee, cor. I though you'd be more excited to see me." Shawn says from next to Mr. Matthews.  
"Yay!" Mr. Matthews screams and hugs Shawn. "I told you he was real!" He exclaims.  
"Wow, who knew you had friends." I say.  
"It's okay, I'm alive." Auggie says, crawling out from under the two. He spots me and runs my way and I hug him.  
"How ya been Shawn." Someone I don't know asks him.  
"Well, right now I'm fine. Although I'm still a little shaken from being beaten up by that little one over there." Shawn says, pointing at me.  
"You beat him up?!" Mr. Matthews asks.  
"I didn't know who he was! Then he said he was your friend and I thought you didn't have friends!" I exclaim, very defensively.  
Mrs. Matthews and Shawn talk about dinner and stuff like that, which was really boring. I went to go and sit with Riley and Maya. After awhile, we got up and went to go talk to Shawn.  
"Hi, Uncle Shawn." Riley says.  
"Yeah...hey, kids." Shawn says without looking at us. He then rushed past us.  
"Eye contact, maybe?" I say.  
"It's getting better. Last time it was just....." Riley lifts her head and it looks like she nodded.  
"That's it?" I question. "Nothing else? He's just gonna walk away and pretend that you don't exist?"  
"Maybe he's just not a big talker." Maya suggests.  
"Time to talk. We've got a lot to catch up to." We hear Shawn say.  
"Yea, nice timing, Maya." I sarcastically say. 

Sitting in the bay window, Riley, Maya and I talk.  
"So that's your dad's me?" Maya asks.  
"Uh-huh." Riley says.  
"We're them?" Maya asks.  
"Uh-huh." Riley says.  
"What? Do I not exist?" I ask them. Maya and Riley smile at me and we all walk out to hear Mr. Matthews and Shawn singing.  
"Neither of you can sing." I tell them.  
"I wanna talk to you." Maya says. She goes on about stories and being best friends.  
"Riley and I are the best friends on the planet." Maya says.  
"Hey! I'm a real person too!" I say.  
"Riley, Jo, and I are the best friends on the planet." Maya says again, including me this time.  
"Well, that's cute. Cory and I are the best friends in all of existence. Which includes your crummy little planet." Shawn says.  
"It's cute that you think that, Mr. Hunter." I tell Shawn with a smile.  
"Little one, you can call me Shawn, you know." He tells me.  
"Sorry, my mother has always taught me to respect my elders." I tell him, shrugging my shoulders and sitting on the ledge of the window. Riley and Maya says words together and Maya can't help but blurt stuff out about Riley and Shawn's weird relationship.  
"Why do you make Riley feel bad?" Maya asks.  
"I don't mean to." Shawn says.  
"Well, you do. And that's not cool with us." I say, wrapping my arm around Riley.  
"Cause we're her best friends. So I just wanted to tell you that." Maya says, wrapping one of her arms around Riley as well.  
"Hey," Shawn says before we leave. "Maybe you are like me and Cory." 

Josh, Auggie and I were decorating the adults who fell asleep on the couch. It was fun.  
"Should we be doing this?" Auggie asks. After a little exchange between them, Auggie asked me a question.  
"Will you come to my room so I can give you something?" Auggie asks me with pleading eyes.  
"Of course." I tell him. Auggie takes my hand and we run to his room, passing Maya and Riley talking about who knows what in the bay window.  
"This," Auggie says, holding up a little box, "This is for you." He hands me the box and I open it to see a silver ring. Just silver, nothing else.  
"Auggie, I love it." I tell him.  
"Look, I have one too." Auggie says, holding up a matching ring. The rings looked like wedding rings that were silver, but I can assure you, we weren't getting married. "It's a promise ring." He explains to me.  
"A promise ring for what?" I ask him.  
"Well, now that we're pretend brother and sister, I thought that we could promise that we would always be there for each other." Auggie tell me. I put the ring on my right index finger and hug Auggie.  
"I love it." I tell him, bending down to give him a hug.  
"Dinner!" We hear Mrs. Matthews yell. 

"Wow." I say after 5 minutes, looking at an empty table and my untouched plate of food.  
Mrs. Matthews goes on and on about how it took forever to make the dinner.  
"I want you to sit there for two days and think about that dinner you just devoured, and then maybe I'll give you a cupcake." Mrs. Matthews tells her daughter. I look down at the food I didn't eat and raise my hand.  
"Can I have a cupcake?" I ask her.  
"No. You need to eat." Mrs. Matthews tells me.  
"Yea, little one. Get some meat on those bones." Shawn says. I look down at my food again and zone out through the conversation. I tune back in to see Riley and Maya grab my hand and pull me through the door. 

"December 8th." Shawn says when we sit down at the bakery. I sit next to him and lean in.  
"Could I borrow some money?" I ask him. He doesn't pay attention to me, but still gives me $5. I walk up to the bakery counter.  
"Hello, ma'am." I greet Mrs. Svorski.  
"Hello, Na." Mrs. Svorski replies. I have a lot of nicknames that I get called. By her I get called "Na" because my real name is Josephina and Na is easier for her to say. But if you call me Josephina, I can promise that you won't see tomorrow.  
"Hey, could I have a cupcake?" I ask. Riley had made me want a cupcake and I was finally gonna get one.  
"Of course." She gave me a cupcake and I gave her the 5 dollars, telling her to keep the change. Before I could take a bite, Riley and Maya dragged me out of the bakery. 

Don't know why but Maya was told to stay outside the bay window and she didn't want to go alone, so I had to be there too.  
Next thing I know is I hear Riley's voice.  
"Thank you. You have served your purpose." Riley says. She grabs her dad and pushes him out the door. She reaches out the window and grabs my arm, pulling me in. "Wrong kid with a messed up life." She mutters, pushing me out the window.  
I yelp as I fall the short drop and Riley locks the window. I hear Maya and Shawn talk about their family lives and I let a tear escape, wiping it away as soon as it falls from my eye.  
"Jo's got a pretty messed up family, too." Maya says. I was leaning against the brick wall when the window opened. Shawn pulled me in, sitting me in between him and Maya.  
"Tell us about your parents." Shawn says.  
"Don't wanna." I tell him. I stand to get up but Shawn and Maya grab my hands and pull me down.  
"Ugh." I mutter.  
"Tell us about your parents, Jo." Maya says.  
"Fine." I grumble. "My dad split when I was younger and my mother doesn't want me." I say. Maya looks at me like she didn't know some of the information and Shawn looks at me with a sad face. "Don't look at me with the face that only shows pity." I tell him.  
I stand up to leave the room as surprisingly, Maya and Shawn let me. 

Jumping through my window, the first thing I do is take a shower. Then, I walk through the house to see another note on the fridge. Wow, shocker. (Massive sarcasm there.)  
I sit on the couch and look at the ring on my finger.  
"I promise, Aug. even if my mom and dad can't, I will always be there for you. I promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Tell me what you think about this chapter**


	13. Girl Meets Game Night

Jo's POV 

"Listen, you're here for game night. You're family, you're in." I hear Mr. Matthews say before I reach the door.  
"Am I family?" I ask, walking through the door that was locked.  
"No! Get out.....Wait. How'd you get it here?" Mr. Matthews asks me.  
"Gee thanks, Mr. Matthews, I feel so wanted. Anyways, I've been picking locks since I could talk. Your door was simple." I tell him. I stick the bobby pin back in my hair and smile "sweetly". My father had taught me how to pick locks and I'm not sure if I mentioned it before, but my father's in prison. I have been in some sort of prison for kids, but that's because I'm a troubled kid. But that's a story for next time. "So, can I play?" I ask.  
"Of course." Riley says.  
There's a buzz and I hear Farkle and Lucas say their names. Mr. Matthews whisper/yells to Mrs. Matthews, talking about friends and family game night.  
"Riley, sweetie. You're gonna have to start to prioritize what's more important to you, your family, huh? Or your friends." Mr. Matthews tells his daughter. "There is only one right answer."  
"Why do I....." Riley starts but Mr. Matthews cuts her off.  
"Wrong answer." Mr. Matthews yells.  
"....have to choose between...."  
"Wrong answer."  
"I love my friends and I want to hang out with my friends." Riley states. The door opens and Farkle and Lucas walk in. "Welcome to family game nights friends."  
"Wrong, wrong, wrong answer." Mr. Matthews says angrily. 

"Because Topanga, the second she allowed Dr. Turtleneck and Mr. Howdy into our household, our family was compromised by interlopers." We hear Mr. Matthews say. We all look at him from our spots on the couch  
"Maybe we could just come back another time." Lucas suggests.  
"I'm staying. I wanna bug him." I say with a wicked smile.  
"Oh, yeah, we don't have walls.....I told you we needed walls." Mr. Matthews tells his wife.  
"Dr. Turtleneck, I presume." Josh says to Farkle.  
"How could you tell?" Farkle asks, even though the turtleneck he's wearing gives the answer away quickly.  
"Oh, because....you just seem like a doctor to me." Josh replies.  
"Thank you." Farkle says.  
"Thank you." Josh tells him. "And you must be...." Josh says, turning his attention to Lucas.  
"Howdy." Lucas says.  
"See this? The family game. The game for families. Not the friends game, a game for friends. I saw that game. I didn't buy that game I bought this one because I used to have a family." Mr. Matthews says.  
"So did I...." I mutter under my breath. Farkle was the only one to hear me and he looks like he wants to say something, but doesn't.  
"Will you stop?" Riley asks her dad.  
"How could she choose her friends over us? I mean, did they burl her? Did they change her diapers?" Mr. Matthews asks.  
"We haven't yet, but we will when she's old." Farkle says.  
"That's funny." I state.  
"I know that I have the absolute love and loyalty of my children who like me fine and always will." Mrs. Matthews says.  
"Everybody's here, everybody plays." Riley says.  
"Cory, flipping out is only gonna make things worse. Do you really want to drive her away." Mrs. Matthews asks.  
"Yeah, dad. It's like what you were teaching today." Riley tells him.  
"I was teaching about the American Revolution, Riley. How is this anything like the American revolution?" Mr. Matthews asks.  
"How? Let's think...." Riley says. Some weird music plays and I look up, totally freaked out about where the music is coming from. Everyone keeps staring out into space and I feel like I'm missing something.  
I don't zone out this time, shocker right? Anyways, I kinda just walk to the kitchen and grab some food. A bowl of cereal and a banana. 

"You belong to me until you're 18. It's the law." Mr. Matthews suddenly says.  
"Finally!" I exclaim. "Thought you guys were dead there for a second. I'd have to call my lawyer..." I say quietly. The group looks over at me and I smile and wave at them.  
"What's the matter? Pops doesn't like pops' lesson?" Maya asks Mr. Matthews.  
"Listen guys, not everything I teach you in class applies to your lives." Mr. Matthews says.  
"Are you oblivious?!" I question him. I know right, it was a shock to me that I used such a big word. Woah, I got skills.  
"Joey's right. It does, every time, sir." Lucas tells Mr. Matthews.  
"Okay. Game is all set up. We doing this thing or what?" Mrs. Matthews asks.  
"No." Mr. Matthews says.  
"Yes." Riley says over her father.  
"Do you guys even know how to play the family game?" Mr. Matthews asks.  
"Let me teach you." Maya says, standing up. "Because I'm always here, and you can't get rid of me. Always wins." Maya says, pointing to Mrs. Matthews. "Always eats too much popcorn and says 'I'm never eating popcorn again.'" Maya says, pointing over to Riley who is shoveling popcorn in her mouth.  
"Would you be on my team, Uncle Josh?" Auggie asks.  
"Try and stop me." Josh says.  
"Okay, I'll stop you. You're on my team." Maya argues, pulling Josh over to her.  
"He's my uncle." Auggie objects.  
"He's my husband!" Maya yells. Auggie let's go and puts his hands up in defeat.  
"Congratulations." Auggie says, completely monotoned.  
Farkle was reading the rules to the game and then Riley pressed a red button and it made a sound.  
"I WANNA PRESS THE BUTTON!!" I yell.  
"Not yet, Joey. We haven't even started the game." Riley says.  
"So when we start I can press the button?" I ask. Riley shrugs her shoulders and I smile widely.  
"Oh, we don't go there." Riley tells Farkle who was asking about who knows what. "If even one person goes in there, the you have to play the long game."  
"What's the long game?" Farkle asks.  
"Don't know. We've never played it." Riley says.  
"Intriguing. Should we find out?" Farkle asks.  
"As long as I get to push the button, I'm good." I state. Riley pushed the button as a demonstration. "Why couldn't I do that?!" I question her. The doorbell rings and in walks Ava.  
"Sure, Auggie. Bring your woman in. Let's bring in everybody. Why don't we put up signs on the telephone poles next to the cats and the dogs. Matthews family game night. Only not really, it's kind of everybody family game night. Isn't it? Huh?" Mr Matthews rants on and on.  
"There's the freak out. Best show in town. Do you feel better now, buddy?" Maya asks Mr. Matthews.  
"I do, thank you." Mr. Matthews calmly says.  
"Thank you." Maya replies. 

"I'm gonna observe the game, not play it. I also wanna be the button presser." I state as people were picking teams. Can't play the family game when you don't understand family relationships yourself. Also, this game requires reading and I'm NOT reading in front of people.  
Maya goes on and on about who she should pick as her partner and she is eventually stuck with Mr. Matthews.  
"Ha-ha! Sucks for you!" I say to her. She gives me a glare that could kill.  
"I'm gonna be a game show host, and Joey can be my co-host." Josh says.  
"Don't care what I am. As long as I get to push the button, no one gets hurt." I tell them.  
"Okay.....An game show hosts make sure everyone follows the rules and plays fair. Especially this one." Josh says, taking the stolen money Ava took back.  
"Ava!" Auggie exclaims.  
"Shh...I'm doing this for us, baby." Ava tells him.  
"Okay. The object of this game is to create a family, protect it, and get safely through a world of obstacles that will test how strong your family is.  
The winner of the short game is the first team to end up in one of the four success squares with a car and a house." Josh says.  
"Get me a car and a house." Ava tells Auggie.  
"I'm trying." Auggie exclaims.  
"Um, Maya and I are up first. We'll go first." Mr. Matthews states.  
"Oh, says who?" Riley asks.  
"Says the king of the castle." Mr. Matthews replies.  
"Just because you're the king, doesn't mean yo get to make all of the rules." Riley says loudly.  
"Oh yeah? That's actually the first Riley in the kings handbook." Mr. Matthews says. Riley and him were arguing and they had sandwiched Lucas in between them.  
"Well, it's been a lovely evening. And now I need a hug from my mama." Lucas says, slipping out from between Riley and Mr. Matthews.  
"Mama?" Farkle asks.  
"Yeah. What do you call your mama?" Lucas asks Josh.  
"Ma. Try it out." Josh says.  
"Ma." Lucas mimics. "Nah, she'd put me in the shed." Lucas tells him.  
"You know what, Dad, you may be the king, but I am going first." Riley says, taking the dice from him and rolling it. Mr. Matthews gasps and everyone kinda freezes. Everyone but me and Ava.  
"What just happened?" Ava asks.  
"You see it too?" I ask her. She nods and I sigh with relief, I wasn't crazy. "They like keep zoning out or something." I tell her.  
"Well, what do we do?" Ava asks.  
"This." I say. I lean over to put the button and everyone snaps out of their daydream. Riley slaps my hand away before I can push the button. 

"As usual, I will choose the fatherhood path." Mr. Matthews says after a while of laying. "Bing, bing, bing, bing, and a pink square means.....I get a daughter." Mr. Matthews says with a smile.  
"Actually sir, Farkle and I already own that square. So your daughter's ours." Lucas tells him.  
"Excuse me." Mr. Matthews says.  
"Let him talk." Riley says with dreamy eyes.  
"According to the game, we get your daughter." Farkle says.  
"Josh! Joey!" Mr. Matthews yells.  
"She's not Riley Matthews anymore, my brother. She's now Mrs. Dr. Howdy Turtleneck." Josh says in a fun voice. Lucas and Farkle try to take the card from Mr. Matthews, but he won't let go. The card rips in half and Mr. Matthews gasps.  
"You killed my daughter." Mr. Matthews states.  
"My turn." Ava says. "I pick six." Ava moves her piece way more than 6 spaces and Mrs. Matthews seems mad.  
"Josh, objection." Mrs. Matthews states.  
"I'm going to allow it." Josh says.  
"Why?" Mrs. Matthews asks.  
"Because she cracks me up." Josh tells her.  
"Joey...." Mrs. Matthews looks hopeful at me.  
"I just wanna press the button." I say/whine to her.  
"I get a...." Ava says, picking up a card. "Make your own luck card. Take over someone's family business. Choose one player to send back to start. I choose.....Hmm....." Ava says, but I think we all know who she's gonna pick. "One Topanga, two Topanga, three Topanga, four. Five Topanga, six Topanga, seven Topanga, or... Topanga! Wee! Poom!" Ava says, throwing Mrs. Matthews' piece back to start.  
"This had to be done, mommy." Auggie tells her.  
"It's okay, my love bug." Mrs. Matthews says as Riley picks up a card and stares at it. "Luckily, my team always wins. And my teammate has a turn, and I'm sure she's going to use it to help me. Right Riley? Sweetheart?" Mrs. Matthews says.  
"Mom, I really hate to do this, but I have a go to Europe with a friend card. And you're all the way back there. And I've never been to Europe." Riley says gently.  
"I want to go to Europe!" Ava exclaims.  
"Get off my back!" Auggie yells.  
"Wait, you're leaving me?" Mrs. Matthews asks.  
"Mom, it's not personal, I just got this card and...." Riley starts but gets cut off.  
"Wait, you're leaving me? I am your mother. I have your absolute love and loyalty. How do you think you're talking to, him?" Mrs. Matthews asks, referring to her husband.  
"Hey, Farkle. How do you do that again?" Mr. Matthews asks. He mimics Farkle's weird noise thing and then moves over to be with Mrs. Matthews, while Riley joins Maya.  
"Mom, I'm just playing the game. Isn't that what you want me to do? Win?" Riley asks.  
"Not without me." Mrs. Matthews tells her daughter.  
"Hey, Topanga. You and me." Mr. Matthews says, holding out his hand.  
"You and me." She replies, grabbing it.  
"You and me, let's win this thing." Riley and Maya copy Mr. and Mrs. Matthews.  
"You and me." Farkle says.  
"I just want to go home." Lucas says.  
"You and me? Host this together?" Josh asks me.  
"I just wanna push the button!" I exclaim.  
"You and me. It's way past our bedtime." Auggie says. Ava and Auggie both yell happily at the fact that it's past their bedtime. 

Josh and I had given the teams 5 minute to create some kind of plan. Auggie took Ava to his room. Mr. and Mrs. Matthews were in the living room. Riley and Maya were in the bay window. Farkle and Lucas were in the kitchen. And Josh and I were on the couch.  
"I don't know much about you." Josh says, breaking the silence between us.  
"What do you wanna know?" I ask him.  
"Simple stuff. Parents, home school....." Josh leans closer and whisper to me, "...dyslexia...." He says. I look at him stunned.  
"How did you....?" I start, trying to form an answer and keep quiet at the same time.  
"Don't need to be a super genius to figure it out. Plus, Farkle told me about his theory." Josh says.  
"Farkle knows?" I whisper yell.  
"It's just a theory, but why haven't you told your friends?" Josh asks me.  
"I don't know." I shrug my shoulders. "I guess..... I'm just embarrassed." I tell him.  
"That's understandable." He replies. "Just know that I'm here if you ever need to talk..." Josh says. I smile and wrap my arms around him.  
"Break's over. Game on!" I yell. Everyone freezes again. "Really?!" I shout up at the ceiling. 

"Someone has to get a 12. Anything but a 12. Nobody role a 12." Mrs. Matthews pleads.  
"12!" Riley exclaims.  
"Oh, thank goodness it's over." Lucas says.  
"No, it's not. I'm not going for the success square. I'm going for the circle in the middle. We're going to play the long game." Riley says.  
"What?"  
"You could win."  
"Dude, who would you do that?" Josh asks Riley.  
"Because tonight the family game is not about winning." Riley say.  
"Uh, say what?" Mrs. Matthews asks.  
"Mom, I was money trying to beat you because I want you to be proud of me." Riley tells her mother.  
"You do?" Mrs. Matthews asks.  
"Yeah, I want to be like you." Riley says.  
"You do?" Mrs. Matthews asks.  
"A killer shark who always wins?" Riley says.  
"That is the most beautiful thing I have ever heard." Mrs. Matthews says.  
"So, tonight, let's find out what happens when you play the king game." Riley says.  
"I'm never gonna see my mama again." Lucas says sadly.  
"I wanted someone to land on the success square. I kind of wanted to hear." Mr. Matthews presses the button and Mrs. Matthews gets excited, saying she won.  
"I wanted to press the button!" I say.  
"In the long game, the players all play together to conquer the game itself." Josh reads from the box.  
"So, we're all on one big team, then?" Farkle asks.  
"If you'll let us be. And dad, I promise that nobody is going anywhere." Riley says.  
"Well, Riley, you know what? If these are the people you've chose to leave us for someday, they're welcome to play with us anytime." Mr. Matthews tells his daughter.  
"You're gonna buy the friends game?" Riley asks.  
"Yeah. Can we play that one with you guys?" Mr. Matthews asks.  
"Anytime you want."  
"You're a good king." Riley says.  
"You're a good John Quincy Adams." Mr. Matthews tells her.  
"Oh, the kid who brought everyone together." Riley says. One by one, each team outs their piece in the center and the long game starts. 

"Well, birds are chirping. Sounds of a sleepy city coming to life as the sun peaks its smiling face." Josh says. Everyone is practically asleep in the couch and I'm sitting on the kitchen table, more awake then ever. "Why aren't you tired?" Josh asks me.  
"I'm clearly stronger than them." I tell him. I mean, it's only like three in the morning, why you gotta sleep.  
"Anyways, Upon 8 tired game players. And if Auggie Matthews can roll a two, then we will finally find out what happens when you win the long game." Josh says.  
"Nobody can roll a two." Mrs. Matthews states.  
"We pick two." Ava says before Auggie could roll the dice.  
Ava puts the piece in the center and something clicks.  
"That's it?" I ask.  
"Hold on...." Mr. Matthews says. This mystical music plays and the game does this weird, but cool, thing.  
"And as everyone is joined together, we see that in the long game, friends become family." Josh says.  
"It's not a game at all." Riley says.  
"What is it, mommy?" Auggie asks.  
"Its life." Mrs. Matthews replies.  
"Life is the long game?" Auggie asks. I smile at him and jump off the kitchen table. I walk over to the game board and press the button. Everyone smiles at me and I feel complete. 

Maya, Riley and I go into Riley's room. Riley had offered us a sleepover that night.  
Two hours later, Maya and Riley were sound asleep and I sat at the bay window, twirling my promise ring in my hands.  
I look outside the window. Then, I look at Riley and Maya. I see Auggie's room across the hall. I smile to myself, putting the ring back on and leaning against the wall.  
"Friends are the closet thing to family I'm gonna get."


	14. Girl Meets Master Plan

Jo's POV 

I wake up, again, on Maya's floor and am really excited because it's her birthday. Sneaking over to her bed, looking at her sleeping body, I shake her awake.   
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!" I yell while shaking her. She wakes up with a smile and hugs me.   
"Thanks, Jo." She says. I follow her out of the room and we run to the living room of her apartment. Maya has a huge smile non her face, running all the way to the kitchen. Her smile drops when she realizes that her mom was no where to be found.   
"Maya...." I say. I can see a tear brimming her eyes, but she wont let them fall, she's Maya. "I'm so sorry...." I say, wrapping her in a hug. Her mother wasn't even there for her birthday.   
"It's fine. Let's go to Riley's...." She says. I leave through the window to go and go to my room to get ready.   
Before leaving my house, I check the kitchen, knowing that there will be another note on the fridge saying stuff about working and blah blah blah.   
But when I look on the fridge, all I see is my hand writing. The note I had out on the fridge last night for my mother was still there, untouched.   
"Where are you, Mom...." I whisper. I go to my room and out the window, running over to Riley's.   
"Riles, a friendship ring." I hear Maya say as I jump through the window. Maya was wearing a purple dress, a pretty dress.   
"Yeah." Riley says.   
"Three of them." Maya says.   
"Yeah!" Riley says.   
"In case I lose one." Maya says.   
"No." Riley says.   
"Well, anybody else would have just gotten me one." Maya tells Riley.   
"No." Riley says. This goes on for a while and I completely tune them out. Maya gives one ring to Riley and puts the other one on her finger. Riley reaches in the box and brings the other ring out.   
"Joey, I know you and Auggie already have rings and this might not be as important as the bond you two share, but will you wear the ring?" Riley asks me.   
"Of course." I tell her. I put the rose colored ring on middle finger, next to my promise ring on my index finger.   
Riley tries to jump out of the window and I start laughing.   
"I missed so much...." I say out loud. 

We walk out into the living room of the Matthews apartment and see Shawn sitting on the couch.   
"Are you really here?" Riley asks with a smile.   
"Yep, I'm here." Shawn says.   
"Uncle Shawn!" Riley exclaims, throwing her arms around him. Maya gets a hug as well.   
"Squeeze her good. It's her birthday." Riley says. Shawn hugs Maya again.   
"Happy birthday, kiddo. You doing something special?" Shawn asks her.  
"This is it." Maya says. Shawn turns to me and gives me a hug as well.   
"Good to see you, Mr. Hunter." I tell him with a smile. He smiles down at me and I sit on the couch as Mr. and Mrs. Matthews walk in the door. They say stuff about cake and Shawn and Tuesday, but there were WAY too many words for me to follow.   
"Shawny!" Mr. Matthews screams, throwing the box in the air, making Mrs. Matthews catch it. They hug and then sit on the couch, Shawn next to me.   
"We found him on the couch, can we keep him?" Riley asks with a huge smile.   
"Wait a minute. Who let you in?" Mrs. Matthews asks.   
"He doesn't need to be let in, Mrs. Matthews, he has a key." I tell her. "Although, you don't really need one if you have a bobby pin." I tell Shawn and Mrs. Matthews.   
"You gave him a key?" Mrs. Matthews asks.   
"Fine, I'll give you a key." Mr. Matthews pouts.   
"You love me!" Mrs. Matthews exclaims.   
"I do love you. You have the key to my heart." Mr. Matthews says, walking to the kitchen with his wife.   
"So, who has the key to your heart?" Riley asks Shawn.   
"Yeah, you ever been in love or what?" Maya asks him, coming over to. Sit on the couch.   
"Angela time?" Shawn asks.   
"Hold on!" I say. "I don't wanna hear about all this mushy stuff." I say. I walk into the kitchen and get an apple, sitting on top of the table and completely zoning out. I'm not into all that romantic-mushy stuff. Tomboy here!   
"Thunder! Lightening!" I here Maya and Riley tell, holding there rings in the air.   
"What was that and do I have to do it?" I ask them.   
"So, where's Angela now?" Riley asks Shawn   
"I don't know. I tried to make it work." He replies.   
"But you couldn't commit?" Maya asks.   
"No. You know, people have it all wrong about me. I....I was all in. She's the one who left. I got left." Shawn explains.   
I jump off of the table and walk to the end of the couch. "Yeah.....I....We got a lot of that too." I say for both Maya and I.   
"Who's on your list?" Maya asks Shawn.   
"Mother, father, girlfriend." Shawn says.   
"Wow. What is it with us?" Maya asks, looking at me and Shawn.   
"What is it with us?" Shawn asks.   
"Window! Window right now!" Riley exclaims. Maya stands up, but Riley shoots her down. "You. And you." Riley says, pointing to her excited parents. Before leaving, she runs over and grabs my hand, pulling me with her. 

"Okay, I have heard all of the stories. But tell me the truth, mom. When you guys were my age, was Dad really that good at schemes?" Riley asks.  
"Schemes?" Mrs. Matthews asks.   
"Yea. You know, rackets, scams, pulling stuff on people, changing their lives." Riley says.   
"Mischief?" I ask, rubbing my hands together with a wicked smile.   
"I'm scared to ask for her help." Riley says, pointing to me.   
"Cory Matthews was the best there ever was." Mrs. Matthews says.   
"Why?" Riley asks. You can't expect to keep my attention for too long, I zone out, like usual.   
"You have one minute, Riley. Wow me." I hear Mr. Matthews say.   
"I want Shawn to be Maya's dad..." Riley says. Hearing this, I stand up and run out of the Matthews apartment house. 

I wasn't running because I wanted Shawn to be my dad, even though I kinda did. But that wasn't why I had run off. I was happy Riley wanted this for Maya, but I wish someone cared about my life enough to do something.   
Anyways, I run home and jump through the window to my room. All I do is sit on my floor, thinking.   
It's usually impossible for me to think of one thing in particular, because when I think, my mind thinks a million things at the same time. But this time was different. It was easy to think of one thing: Family.   
Like, what family do I even have.   
Taking off both of my silver and rose rings, I put them in front of me on the floor. I smile and just sit there, thinking about Auggie, Maya, Riley and the rest of the Matthews family. 

I had left my house and I'm walking back to Riley's. I walk back slowly and kick the rocks that were in my way on the sidewalk. I decide to go to Auggie's window instead of Riley's.   
"Hey, Augs." I say.   
"Joey!" Auggie says, running up to me.   
"Hey, little bean." I say, he smiles and giggles at the nickname.   
"I want a nickname for you..." Auggie says.   
"You call me Joey." I tell him.   
"No, like a real nickname. You call me little bean, ONLY you call me that. I want a nickname that only I call you. That's what brothers and sisters do." Auggie says really fast.   
"Okay. What do you wanna call me?" I ask him from outside.   
"I don't know." Auggie relies. After a few seconds I could practically see the lightbulb go off in his head. "I know! How about I call you Jemmy."   
"You wanna call me Jemmy?" I ask him. He nods his head and I crack a smile. "Jemmy it is." I say. "Hey, where's Riley and Maya?"   
"Oh, I don't know where Riley went, but Maya is tied up." Auggie tells me.   
"What?!" I yell.  
"Yea, Jemmy. I just saw her, but I can't find Riley." He tells me.   
"Okay, Augs. I'll be back later, okay?" I tell him.   
"Okay, Jemmy." He replies. 

I run down the ladder and back up, this time to Riley's window. I run so fast that I almost bump into Maya in the window.   
"Maya!" I yell. "Why are you tied up?!"   
"Lucas did it. Riley's gonna go and see if she can't get Shawn and my mother together." Maya says, VERY angrily.   
"Oh, I'm gonna go get Lucas for this! No one ties up my friends!" I yell. I leave to storm off, what I didn't realize was that Lucas was behind me.   
"Hiya." He says with a smile.   
"Lucas!" I scream.   
Lucas looks kinds scared and has his hands behind his back. In one quick move, he pulls something out from behind him and handcuff me to the pole outside the bay window.   
"Where on earth did you get handcuffs?!" I yell, furiously. I guess you can probably tell that I'm a little short tempered and kinda what people call a "troubled" kid.   
Lucas runs down the ladder and leaves. I sit down on the platform with my hand in the air. The cold metal of the handcuffs are too familiar for me. 

What seems like forever passes by and I hear Riley and Maya talking. I can't really hear their conversation, but I can see the two of them. For some reason, Maya had closed the window.   
I see what looks like Riley trying to explain something and Maya wasn't liking it. Riley unties Maya and I know that that can't be good.   
Before I could tell what was happening, Maya grabbed Riley and threw her on the floor, causing a huge thump.   
Maya and Riley both leaving, paying me no mind.   
"Wait!" I yell, but it was already too late. The door was closed and I was left on the platform, handcuffed to a pole.   
"Why am I so stupid?" I question myself when I realize that I still have the bobby pin in my hair.   
I take it out of my hair and stand up, sticking the pin into the small keyhole. My fingers are freezing from the cold weather.   
After minutes and minutes, I am finally able to get the pin in the keyhole.   
"Yes!" I shout to myself. I am able to unlock the part of the handcuff that is around the pole and I just leave the other part around my wrist. I was way too mad to take it off. I try to go though the window and realize it's locked.   
"Just my luck." I whisper. I decide to go around and I pick the lock at the door. 

As I was picking the lock, I hear that Maya gets a locket. Everyone is in there, including Shawn and Mrs. Hart.   
I storm into the room and everything goes silent. All eyes on me.   
"Riley!" I yell/hiss. "Look what your little plan did!" I yell, pointing to my handcuffed wrist.   
"Wow. Little Jo in cuffs. That's a new one." Shawn says.   
"Really? Cause for me, it's an old one." I tell him. "Lucas is SO dead." I tell Riley. She smiles nervously at me and Mrs. Hart and Shawn call for cake.   
"I was just flipping handcuffed for hours and all you guys care about is cake?!" I question. Shawn cuts his eyes at me and I give him a nasty smile. 

Later that night, Riley was tied up with rope as part of Maya's revenge.   
"Anything you wanna do, Joey?" Riley asks me. I nod and I can see the fear in her eyes.   
"I'm gonna go find Lucas." I say, leaving through the window and running to his house. I've never actually been there, but I'm hoping there's a pole nearby.   
I knock on his door and he answers. Once he realizes it's me, fear washes over his face and he tries to shut the door. I stop the door and reassure him that I'm not gonna hurt him.   
"Why not....." Lucas asks, a little surprised.   
"Because I want this to serve as a warning. Mess with my friends again, or handcuff me again, and being tied to a pole won't be the worst to come your way." I tel him.   
He's speechless. I know that might've sounded mean, but I was mad.   
"Anyways, have a nice night. See ya." I say with a big smile. I turn to run back home. 

Arriving at my window, I jump through and go to a drawer next me my bed. I open it and see the phone Mr. Matthews gave me and a note from my father. I put the handcuffs in it and close the drawer.   
I get ready for bed and do my usual routine of twirling the rings in my fingers, and putting them in the table next to me.   
"Goodnight, to anyone and everyone I consider my family."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Hope you all enjoyed this chapter.**


	15. Girl Meets Farkle's Choice

Jo's POV 

"Hi, I'm Riley Matthews and these are your John Quincy Adams middle school morning announcements." Riley repeats over and over again. I watch her from behind the camera.  
"Yo bozo." I call to her. She looks over at me. "What are ya doing?" I ask her.  
"Yeah, why are you even rehearsing?" Maya asks Riley.  
"I'm going to get it perfect this time." Riley says.  
"Yea, we'll see how well that works out." I say. I get a signal from the teacher and start to roll the camera. "And you're on." I tell the girls.  
"Hewo. I'm Miley Flatshoes and these are your flurning amousenits. Today's lunch in the cafetorium will be hot males." Riley says. She messes up everything and is pretty much speaking gibberish now. I look and see the Maya is laughing her head off.  
"Carpool!" Riley shouts when Farkle enters the room. I fall to the ground in laughter.  
"And here's your Farkle science moment. The Junior Entomology Society has once again nominated me for a Buggie Award for my research paper on the orange dancing spider." Farkle says.  
"You used a lot of big words." I say from behind the camera.  
"Congrats, Dr. Farklestein." Maya says.  
"I hope this is your year." Riley tells him.  
"Oh, I never win." Farkle says.  
"Awesome. Wish I could go, but I don't wanna and I'm sure tickets are impossible." Maya says.  
"I have two." Farkle tells her.  
"Not me." I say.  
"I just don't wanna." Maya says, I agree with her.  
"Awesome. Which one of you will be Farkle's choice? I'm telling the world. Farkle must finally choose between his sweet angel whose smile lights a path to goodness, my dark demon who unleashes something so terrifying I really wanna know what it is. Or my mysterious beauty who built a wall so high that I wanna break it down." Farkle says, the last part to me. I REALLY don't want him to break it down, a wall is built for protection, not destruction.  
"Thanks, and I'm not gonna be there wen you find out, Carpool." Maya says.  
"And there it is, John Quinciatti. Flankle juices bequeen yama, oj, and symelf." Riley says. Maya falls laughing.  
"I'm orange juice to you?" I ask Riley once I cut the camera off. 

"Who's the greatest ally of the United States?" Mr. Matthews asks. "Farkle?"  
"I'd like to help you, sir, but I got a lot of things on my mind." Farkle says.  
"Are you tense, Farkle? Is it Buggie Award season?" Mr. Matthews asks him.  
"Yes, and I know that once I've chosen between Riley, Maya and Jo for the dinner, I'll actually be letting the other two go." Farkle tells Mr. Matthews.  
"Can I be the one you let go?" I ask Farkle.  
"I think it will be sad when Farkle doesn't love the three of us the same." Riley says, turning back to face Farkle.  
"Yes, two of you will be crushed." Farkle says.  
"Or maybe one of them. I don't really care." I tell him. Farkle just gives me a look and continues.  
"You, will however...." blah blah blah, no one cares. I start listening in again when Farkle, Riley and Maya talk about someone named Smackle.  
"It's just interesting that all of our thoughts turn to other allies fret when Canada is right next to us." Farkle says.  
"Perhaps it's because we know they'll always be there for us that we take them for granted." Mr. Matthews says.  
"Farkle, I'm going to make the ultimate sacrifice and let you go with Riley." Maya says.  
"Yeah, well, I'm going to make the ultimate sacrifice and let you go with Maya." Riley says.  
"I decide! You hear me? And there's also Jo! This game is Farkle's choice. Prepare to go through the emotional gauntlet of love." Farkle tells us in a weird voice.  
"Ugh." I groan. 

Farkle had made Maya, Riley and I sit in the subway station at different tables so that he could speed date us. It was a serious waste of time. Anyways, Farkle was talking to Riley, then slid in his chair to Maya. He takes for like thirty seconds with her, giving her a skateboard, then came over to me.  
"What do you want, Farkle?" I ask him, kinda annoyed.  
"You haven't touched the food I bought you..." Farkle says, looking down at my plate. I look down as well, it was a ham and cheese sandwich, real classy for a "date".  
"Vegetarian." I tell him, shrugging my shoulders.  
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't know." Farkle says, looking really upset. "I didn't know what you'd want. I've never seen you eat before." He quickly tells me. I don't eat a whole lot, not too much food at my house.  
"It's fine, dude." I tell him softly, leaning back in my chair.  
"Be right back." Farkle says, going over to Riley, bringing out a hippo, making her go all sad and sappy like Maya, and then coming back to me.  
"You know," Farkle says when he gets back. "I've noticed something different about you than the other two girls. You're more....boyish than them."  
"I'm a tomboy, Farkle. And don't think you can get me to tear up and go all sappy or something like you did with Riley and Maya." I tell him. "I'm not that kind of person..." I say. I hate mushy, sappy stuff. It's weird.  
"Oh, then maybe that'll change." Farkle says. He pulls out an envelope. Brown/yellow paper and crumpled up. He hands it to me and I look at the address.  
"Where did you get this?!" I whisper yell at him.  
"Don't know why but it was delivered to my house...." Farkle says. He leans in a little closer and whispers to me. "Is it true? Your dad's really in prison?" He asks me. I wipe away the tear that shouldn't have been there and look up.  
"Yeah. What did you think, I was lying about it?" I ask him. My face was hot, but I wasn't letting another tear fall.  
"No....you just never really show emotion..." Farkle says.  
"Thanks, Farkle." I tell him. Maya and Riley thank him.  
"Have you been speed dating us?" Maya and Riley yell together.  
"Welcome to what's going on!" I yell.  
"As you know, being nominated for a Buggie is the highlight of my life. I wanna share my happiness with someone special if I win, and if I lose, I want someone who cares about me to be there. So I wanna make sure I make the right choice. Thank you for a lovely evening." Farkle says. I grab his arm before he leaves.  
"Thank you so much for this, Farkle, but I...gotta go....I hope you understand..." I say. I grab my bag and the letter and sprint out of the station.  
"Joey!" Riley calls. 

I run all the way to the school. Who knew that would be my safe place. Anyways, getting in was easy ever since Riley and Lucas locked me in the closet, resulting in me going through the vents.  
Making it all the way to the history classroom, I walk in and sit on Mr. Matthews' big desk.  
Probably gonna spend the night here....Now, I know what you're thinking. What about someone finding out you're in the school when you're not supposed to be? Blah blah blah. Janitor Harley is the only one in the school after hours and he's totally cool with me staying here, I've done it before. Plus, my mom is rarely home anyways, so that's not a problem.  
Anyways, back to the story.  
I grip the letter close to my chest, lean my head back against the desk, and let a single tear fall. 

I'm shaken awake by Mr. Matthews.  
"Time?" I ask him with my eyes closed.  
"7:00." He replies.  
"5 more minutes...." I groan, turning to face the other way. Mr. Matthews pushes me off his desk and I land on my feet. "Am I still asleep?" I sarcastically ask him.  
"What are you doing here?" Mr. Matthews asks me, very seriously.  
"Believe it or not, but this is my safe place..." I tell him.  
"What happened?" Mr. Matthews asks me.  
"Farkle gave me a letter.....from my father...." I say, handing him the letter.  
"And you haven't opened it..." Mr. Matthews finishes.  
"I'm scared..." I tell him.  
"What if we read it together?" Mr Matthews asks me. I nod and jump up into his desk, crossing my legs. He leans against the desk and opens the letter. I close my eyes and he starts to read.  
"My little bug, I want you to know that I love you so much. I want to know if you wanna visit me at the prison? Just for a little. You can bring your friends if you want, or you can just come. Please think about this. It's almost been five years since I've seen/heard from you...I just wanna see my little girl..." Mr. Matthews read. There was silence between us for a little.  
"Five years?" Mr. Matthews whispers, breaking the silence. I nod and a couple tears streak my face. Mr. Matthews pulls me into a hug and I quickly wipe the tears away. Not weak. Not weak. I keep reminding myself.  
"I've been.....scared.....Should I see him?" I ask Mr. Matthews.  
"If you want to. I suggest at least writing him a letter..." Mr. Matthews tells me.  
"Okay. Can I borrow some paper?" I ask him. I write back to my dad, but I don't wanna send it. Maybe I'll just surprise him? Or call him? I don't know yet.  
I try to write, but my stupid dyslexia mixes up so many thing and I crumple the paper up and throw it across the room in frustration.  
"You want to call him instead?" Mr Matthews asks me and I nod. He gives me his phone and dial the number I have memorized for years. A prison guard picks up.  
"Hi....my name is Josephina Edwards.....may I speak to my dad?" I ask into the phone, sitting on Mr. Matthews' desk. I was told to wait and then I hear my dad's voice.  
"Hello?" He asks into the phone. I tear up at his voice.  
"Hi, daddy..." I sag through small sobs. I hear shuffling in the background and my dad say 'it's my baby girl', probably to one of his cell mates.  
"I guess you got my letter?" My dad asks.  
"Yea....I do wanna see you...." I tell him.  
"Great!" He says, choking up a bit on the other end of the phone. We set a time and date, then the bell rang.  
"I gotta go....see you soon, daddy...." I say, putting down the phone and wiping away a couple more tears. I give Mr. Matthews back his phone and hear Riley scream about a spider.  
"Don't even wanna know...." I say out loud. 

Climbing up the ladder, I meet Maya at Riley's window. She tries to get in but the window is locked. I start banging on the window.  
"Ignore those big birds." Riley says.  
"My bay window!" Maya yells.  
"Locked. Ha. Locked." Riley says. I walk to the other window which was wide open and jump through with Maya following. "How did you do that?"  
"It was open..." I say.  
"You tried to lock me out of your room? Not cool." Maya says.  
"You're interrupting my alone time with Farkle? Not cool." Riley says back.  
"You guys are actually fighting over him?!" I ask the two of them.  
"Cool!" Farkle exclaims. "Except you're fighting over me and it's my fault." Farkle says sadly. "Can any of you tell me why you'd even want to go with me to the Buggie Awards?"  
"I don't..." I tell him softly. "Listen, Farkle, I appreciate you giving me the letter and everything, but I want our friendship to stay strong. I don't want you taking me because Riley and Maya wanna go, and I'm not taking that from them." BOOM! I'm on fire with this deep meanings stuff....That won't last too long.  
"Yeah. I've always loved all three of you. Jo's right. I can't think of one of you without thinking of all of you. I withdraw my offer. I'd rather go alone than hurt my three best friends. That's my choice." Farkle says, leaving through the window. 

Riley made me come with her and Maya to the Buggie Awards ceremony. They had dresses that were colorful, whereas I wore ripped jeans and a red shirt. Tomboy in the house! I'm not doing that dress stuff.  
Anyways, we were standing next to Farkle, waiting to hear who had won the prize.  
"Smackle!" The announcer said.  
"This should be the happiest moment of my life except these girls of middling intellect are interrupting it." Smackle says into the microphone.  
"Those were big words...." I say very quietly. Farkle looks over and gives me a kinda sympathetic smile.  
"Oh, us? We're Canada.....We're his greatest allies. He sits right next to us.....And we'll never take him for granted again." Maya and Riley say. They then sing the Canada anthem, and we leave. 

Maya had gone to Riley's that night and Farkle was walking me home. Something about not wanting me to walk alone....I don't know. Anyways, we were walking.  
"Jo, I'm sorry about the letter thing, I should have given it to you as soon as I got, not when I wanted to convince you to go out with me...." Farkle says, breaking the silence and looking down at his feet. I kick some rocks as I walk down the sidewalk.  
"It's okay. I talked to my dad.....and I'm gonna visit him. Do you wanna come? I might ask Maya and Riley too...." I tell him.  
"Sure." Farkle says. We get to the bottom of my building and stop and the doors.  
"Farkle, just because you didn't get the prize, doesn't mean you're not a winner in my eyes..." I tell him. I kiss him on the cheek and run up the ladder to my room, smiling down at Farkle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Hope you liked that I added a little of Jo's father into this chapter. Hope you all enjoyed.**


	16. Girl Meets First Date

Jo's POV 

"Ah, the end of the year. The weather changes, kids pair off, first love." I stand next to Mr. Matthews as he talks to....I don't even know who he's talking to. "It amazes me how the power of love sometimes guides the perfect couples right into each other's arms." We see a weird couple. "And sometimes it does that. But it's still first crush and I love this time of year." Mr. Matthews laughs. When is he gonna be finished? "Probably because I don't have to worry like those other poor sap, seventh grade fathers...."  
"Yo, bozo." I snap my fingers in front of his eyes. "Get your head fixed. You do have a daughter.....Plus, who are you talking to?" I ask Mr. Matthews. All he does is look at me with realization, sees Riley look at Lucas and runs to take her away.  
"Now that, was worth watching." I say to no one in particular.  
"Riley, it's time for the talk." I hear Mr. Matthews say. I jump on his desk and sit crosslegged, watching how this is gonna go.  
"In front of the whole class?!" Riley screams. Mr. Matthews looks over at Maya.  
"Yeah, give her the talk. Let's see what you know." Maya shrugs.  
"Okay. When a daughter....." Mr. Matthews tries but he is immediately cut off by Riley.  
"Stop." Riley says. Lucas was at the door and Mr. Matthews wouldn't let him in. It was great. After a couple minutes, Mr. Matthews eventually let Lucas in.  
"Aw, BOO!" I yell when he is finally able to walk in.  
"I'm with Joey on this one..." Mr. Matthews says. 

"Okay, guys..." Mr. Matthews says, finally starting the class. He turns towards me and sees that I'm still on his desk. "Get off." He says and I smile, walking over to my seat. "Anyway, It's seventh-grade spring fever, which leads to dating, which leads to movies, which leads to popcorn, which leads to putting your hands together in the dark touching the popcorn, which leads to holding hands, which leads to that." Mr. Matthews says, pointing out the same weird couple we had seen in the hallway.  
"Oh, I am not ready for this?" Riley asks.  
"Riley, I'm begging you, stay in never land, okay? No growing up." Mr. Matthews pleads his daughter. Farkle raises his hand. "What do you want?" Mr. Matthews asks him.  
"The way I see it, I'm in an interesting position here." Farkle says.  
"How do you figure, Farkle?" Mr. Matthews asks him.  
"Let's approach this as a scientific equation." Farkle starts. I quickly cut him off, holding my head and shutting my eyes.  
"Why?" I groan. "I don't wanna think."  
"Well, too bad. Mr. Matthews, you're scared of Lucas going out with Riley, right?" Farkle asks.  
"Oh, does it show?" Mr. Matthews asks.  
"Yeah, he's good-looking and athletic." Farkle states.  
"He's 36!" Mr. Matthews shouts.  
"Give your daughter to me. I'll give you four oxen and my best milking cow." Farkle says. Mr. Matthews actually looks like he's thinking it over.  
"Are you actually thinking about this?!" Riley questions her father.  
"It's a good deal." Mr. Matthews says.  
"Really?" I question him. "I'll give you a cow for a better grade in this class." I tell him. He waves me off and Riley stands up.  
"I will decide who I go on my first date with at such time as somebody asks me." Riley says. Lucas raises his hand and Maya and I smile, looking over at Mr. Matthews. 

"Why do you think he out his hand back down?" Riley asks once we were in the hallway after class.  
"I don't care...." I tiredly tell her.  
"Because your Dad wouldn't call on him. And I don't think he ever will again." Maya says while laughing.  
"Life used to be so simple, guys. Wake up, brush my hair, eat cereal, pick up the bowl of cereal that I dropped. When did all of this pressure happen? Boys have it easy, they get to ask." Riley says. "Waiting for them to ask us? And then doing the vacuuming and ironing, the babies."  
"Riley, this isn't the '90s. You don't have to wait for the guy to ask, the girl is completely capable of it." I tell Riley.  
"Yeah, you want something, you go get it." Maya says.  
"You're telling me you're not a little bit afraid of this?" Riley asks us.  
"No." I tell her.  
"You're saying that if you had feelings for somebody that you wouldn't be nervous?" She asks.  
"No, the only thing that makes me nervous is that the thing that everybody wants to happen never happens because everybody's too afraid to make it happen." Maya tells her.  
"Hey, Ranger Rick," Maya says when we see the boys outside the history class. Before they continue talking, I run over past the boys and sit on the ledge, letting my feet dangle.  
Maya asks Lucas out, blah blah blah. Stuff happens, blah blah blah. Yay, we leave school. I'm not into feelings, NO THANK YOU.

Anyways, later we were in the bay window and Riley and Maya were talking about Lucas and stuff like that.  
"I'll be in the living room." I tell them. They nod and I leave.  
"Hey, where's Auggie?" I ask Mr. And Mrs. Matthews.  
"Not here." Mrs. Matthews tell me. I nod and go over to sit on the couch, running into my own world of imagination and short attention spans. I hear the doorbell ring and I sit up.  
Mr. Matthews walks over and it's Lucas.  
"You." Mr. Mathews glares.  
"Me." Lucas says, mimicking Mr. Matthews.  
Auggie's not home." Mr. Matthews say.  
"Yeah, I'm not here to see Auggie." Lucas tells him.  
"Riley's not here either." Mr. Matthews tell him as Riley walks into the living room.  
"Hi, Lucas." Riley says.  
"That's right, I lied right in yo' face." Mr. Matthews exclaims.  
"Actually, Mr. Matthews, I'm not here to see her either." Lucas says. Okay, now I'm confused, but honestly, when am I not?  
"You're not?" Riley and Mr. Matthews ask.  
"I want to do this the right way. So first, I'm here to talk to you, sir." Lucas says.  
"I want to do this the right way too, Lucas." Mr. Matthews says with a big smile. "No!" He yells.  
"Mr. Matthews, would it be possible t speak to you alone?" Lucas asks him.  
"About homework?" Mr. Matthews asks.  
"No."  
"About a grade?"  
"No."  
"Then this has nothing to do with me and you've come to the wrong place. Good day." Mr. Matthews says.  
"Actually...." Lucas starts but is cut off.  
"I said good day, sir." Mr. Matthews exclaims again.  
"But I need to talk to you." Lucas says.  
"Ugh, this is taking forever!" I say from the couch. I totally zone out until Lucas asks for permission to go out with Riley.  
"You tricked me." Mr. Matthews growls.  
"That's right, I lied right in yo' face." Lucas says.  
"Get him, Topanga." Mr. Matthews complains.  
"My pleasure." Mrs. Matthews says, rolling up her sleeves and walking over to Lucas.  
"Hit him! Hit him! Hit him!" I cheer from the couch. Everyone looks at me and I put my hands up in defeat.  
"Lucas, you are about the most charming young man I have ever met." Mrs. Matthews tells him.  
"Awww. You didn't hit him..." I complain. I sink into the couch. If no one's getting punched, what's the point in watching. I so wish Auggie were here, or Farkle.... 

After a while, the door slams open and in comes Josh.  
"Uncle boing." Maya says. Josh explained how he got into some sort of pre-college thing that I don't care about. Maya freaked him out because she's....Maya and loves him. Then Josh left in like two seconds and you, the reader, are all caught up on everything boring that happened.  
"So, I have everybody's permission except Mr. Matthews?" Lucas asks.  
"Lucas, I like you. I really do." Mr. Matthews explains. But do I look like the kind of guy that would let his child go out on a date this young?" Mr. Matthews asks.  
Auggie and Ava run in from the back, most likely Auggie's room and they are holding hands.  
"I put a ring on it." Auggie says with a ginormous smile.  
"What?" I ask him, not moving from the couch.  
"We're engaged." He explains to us.  
"Ooh, let us tell you why you're not engaged." Mrs. Matthews says.  
"Let me tell you why we are." Auggie says. "Sing it, baby." Auggie tells Ava. He steps out of her way and she sings, calling her self Ava Morgenstern Matthews.  
"Wow." I say. Ava then shows a ring up to Mrs. Matthews.  
"Oh my gosh. Looks at this ring. It looks just like mi.." Mrs. Matthews looks down at her hand, I guess realizing that her ring wasn't on her finger anymore or something? "Hey! Give me this." She exclaims, pulling Ava's hand.  
"It's Auggie's grandma's ring." Ava says.  
"It's actually my ring." Mrs. Matthews says."ph, you're not Auggie's grandma?" Ava asks.  
"Burn!" I exclaim, standing up from the couch. Everyone just stares at me. "Okay..." I say. I fall back on the couch and just sit there, wondering when this will be over.  
"Greeting, Matthews." Farkle says, walking in the door. "I've come to ask Riley out on her first dTe now that Maya has asked out Lucas."  
"What? Why would you do that?" Mr. Matthews asks.  
"Because nobody doesn't nothing." Maya says.  
"You lit the fire, huh?" Mrs. Matthews asks, crossing her arms.  
"Somebody had to push these two kids together." Maya says.  
"Have I told you lately that I think you're pretty fierce?" Mrs. Matthews asks. Riley puts her arm around Maya and asks the same question.  
"What's going on?" Farkle asks, confused.  
"Finally someone else doesn't know what's going on!" I exclaim.  
"Whats going on, Farkle and Joey, is that this kid here wants my blessing. You want it?" Mr. Matthews asks, turning towards Lucas.  
"I do, sir." Lucas replies.  
"You got it." Mr. Mathews says. Everyone was surprised and Farkle said something about already having a cow in the elevator.  
"On one condition." Mr. Matthews says. "I want this to be a double date. If you're gonna go out with him. Then you...." Maya says, pushing her closer to Farkle. "Are gonna go out with him."  
"That works for me because you're Riley, Maya or Jo." Farkle says.  
"Dad, you can't just tell her who to go out with on her first date." Riley protests.  
"But what about Jo?" Maya questions Mr. Matthews.  
"Um, don't pull me into this." I tell her.  
"That's right....What should we do with Joey..." Mr. Matthews says with a smile on his face. I already know he has something planned out for me, but it can't be worse than a date....right?  
"I'm not an object." I tell him.  
"Right. Anyway, I think we should make Joey supervise." Mr. Matthews says with a smile.  
"What the heck does that mean?" I question him. Ugh, these big words.  
"It means that you're gonna watch." Mr. Matthews says.  
"Why?" I ask him. "That's like a complete waste of time." I tell Mr. Matthews.  
"Because it wouldn't be fair if I didn't torture you." Mr. Matthews says as if it were obvious. I watch as Lucas asks out Riley and Farkle asks out Maya. Then, Farkle faints and Maya doesn't catch him. Oh great, let's just get this over with....

"I can't believe you'd let Farkle be your first date so Lucas can be mine." Riley says as we walk into the bakery.  
"Be right back." I tell them.  
I run up to the counter and see Mrs. Svorski there.  
"Hi, Na." She says.  
"Hey." I reply.  
"What is up?" She asks with her usual thick accent.  
"It's Friday." I remind her.  
"That's right." Mrs. Svorski says. She walks into the back and comes back, handing me a loaf of bread.  
"Thank you so much, ma'am. You know how much this means to me." I tell her.  
"I do." She replies. She gives me a smile and runs her hand through my hair. "I want you to know that this place will always give you free bread." Mrs. Svorski says slowly.  
"Thanks." I say.  
A little background information on my life: Mrs. Svorski and Janitor Harley practically raised me when my parents weren't home. I get free bread every Friday so I can make it through the week. Yeah, there's food at home, but not a whole lot.  
Anyways, I hope you're all caught up for now because I'm way too lazy to repeat that.  
I walk back over to Riley and Maya. Riley's eyes widen and she looks scared. I look in the direction of her eyes and she Josh with another girl.  
"We have to go." I say quickly, pulling Maya's arm and trying to go out the door.  
"Why?" Maya asks.  
"Maya, please. Do you trust us?" Riley asks.  
"More than anyone in the world." She replies.  
"Then don't turn around." I warn her.  
"Okay, if you say not to, I won't." Maya says. We start to leave when she changes her mind. "Oh, wait. I forgot, I'm still me." She sees Josh and the other girl and her smile totally disappears. "You know what the best thing is about going out with Farkle?"  
"What?" Riley asks her.  
"No matter what happens, I won't get hurt." Maya says with a sad smile. The three of us hook our arms together and we walk out of the bakery. 

I'm climbing up the ladder to Riley's window in my usual jeans and a t-shirt when I hear Maya's already there.  
"So you're feeling better about my Uncle Josh?" Riley asks Maya. I jump through the window and sit down.  
"No, that's just another lump of coal I'll bury deep in dungeon of sadness next to my daddy issues and ballerina dreams." Maya says.  
"No way, I got the same dungeon, minus that ballerina stuff." I say. Riley looks over at me and smiles.  
"Maya, I didn't know that you dream of being a ballerina." Mrs. Matthews says.  
"I don't. I dream of ballerinas kicking me with their pointy toes while they're stabbing me in the face with their bun heads." Maya says.  
"Oh wow. Definitely not in my dungeon..." I say.  
"Well, you look great." Mrs. Matthews tells Maya. She looks over at me. "Why don't you look great?"  
"Because I'm watching and don't really care about this kind of stuff." I tell her. Mrs. Matthews looks at me with narrowed eyes, but eventually shrugs it off. 

We get to the subway, super classy for a first date, and Maya, Riley and I walk in with the boys staring at us.  
"Okay, let's get this over with." I tell them. I walk onto the subway and grab a seat. Maya, Farkle, Lucas, and Riley walk on a little bit later and the subway starts to move.  
Now, here's where I skip all the boring stuff of Josh getting completely rejected by a girl, which I found hilarious. Maya went over to him, Riley and Lucas talked. I was dozing off in my seat, my arm holding up my head and my eyes barely staying open, when Farkle sat down next to me.  
"Hope I'm not getting in the way of your precious sleep?" He sarcastically says. I smile, letting him know that I acknowledge his presence. 2 bigs words in one sentence, I'm on a role!  
Anyways...  
A little later Riley had kissed Lucas.  
"It's about time." I mutter to Farkle. "Thanks for sitting with me, Farkle." I tell him.  
"No problem. Want me to walk you home?" Farkle asks and I nod. 

Farkle, Maya and I were walking home. We got to the building and Maya went in through the front doors while I went to the side of the building.  
"Hey, Jo?" Farkle asks me.  
"Yeah, Farkle." I ask him.  
"Goodnight." He says after a moments pause. Okay....  
I run up the ladder and through my window, seeing that my mom wasn't home. I really don't care if she's home or not anymore.  
I grab the loaf of bread from the bakery and run up to the roof, spreading the blanket out and sit down.  
I put my rings in front of me and break a small piece of the bread off and hold it up.  
"To everyone that matters in my life."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Sorry this chapter was late, I had some trouble figuring out how I wanted to write it. Anyways, comment what you think about it and I hope you like it.**


	17. Author's Note

So, that was the end of the first season. I hope you all like the first season and I'm gonna start on the second season, which should be posted by Tuesday, February 7. It's gonna be a separate story, but still under my username. I do, however, have a few questions for anyone who reads my story:  
\- What do you think of it?  
\- What can I do to improve my Chapters?  
\- Any ideas about what I should do with Jo's mom?  
\- Any other feedback?

Thanks and I hope you'll enjoy the second season,  
MCWAY


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